The Accident on Danville Mountain
by moonlite1894
Summary: When the gang goes to hang at the Fireside Rangers' cabin on Danville Mountain, an unforeseen circumstance causes them much pain. Phineas learns to cherish what he has now, because it may not be there later. Phinabella with a little Ferbetchen. I do NOT own P&F, its characters, or locations.
1. Prologue

_'How had it come to this?'_

This question haunted the mind of the helpless young man as he attempted to comfort himself in the hall of the once joyous cabin. The hall was empty, save for him. Its tan walls and ceiling attempting to spread hope as they dimly reflected the light shining from the crowded den at the end. The light stopped short of the young man as he hugged his knees to his chest and rested his chin on them, getting as comfortable as possible on the cold wooden floors.

His attention was drawn in two directions. He half-listened to the voices coming from the den. Muffled sobs and silent prayers flowed from his friends as they waited for any report, good or bad, about the situation. The young man let out a weary and heartbroken sigh. The pain and sadness that gripped the group was heavy, the hope of consolidation leaving him as he hugged himself tighter. His attention shifted to the heart of their despair. He stared intently at the door to his left. Through the walls, he could faintly hear orders being given and a shuffling of feet across the ghastly room. The two attendees inside could be heard working desperately toward a common goal; saving the life of their beloved leader. Their determination granted him some hope for a better outcome than the one that lingered in his mind.

As he shook his head in an attempt eradicate those nightmares, he heard hesitant footsteps approach him. He slowly raised his head as the familiar figure knelt beside him. Dark blue eyes spoke to him, silently sending condolences at an attempt at comfort. The young man read his brother's expression with silent gratitude; his own blue eyes replying with confusion and distress. The brother sat alongside the young man as he returned his attention to the door. Only one word was spoken between them, one unrelenting question.

"Why?"


	2. How It Began

"Geez, where is she?" Phineas asked impatiently as the gang downloaded their belongings from their molecular storage unit.

The small device buzzed and hummed as pieces of luggage were modeled from the different binary codes programmed into the device. Buford and Baljeet carried their luggage to their shared guest room, while Ferb used his molecular transporter ray to transport his and his brother's to theirs. With a quick thumbs up, Ferb joined his brother on the porch of the Fireside Rangers' cabin.

The Fireside Rangers was a continuing branch from the Fireside Girls formed by Danville's own Troop 46231. When Isabella and her friends turned 19, they were granted permission to start a new division for the purpose of servicing the wildlife on Danville Mountain and in its' surrounding forest. The girls each chose fields to specialize in. Gretchen and Milly took the roles of medical personnel and went to great lengths to ensure that they were well educated in all types of injury. Holly and Katie called themselves "scouts". They had extensive knowledge of the land under their guard and searched for any illegal activities hunters were involved in, such as hunting game out of season or using illegal traps. Ginger was the communications expert and ensured that everyone stayed in touch while in the field. Adyson took care of the financial and business aspects of the group, occasionally joining Holly and Katie during an inspection. Isabella was appointed as chief and had knowledge of each person's duty in the event that extra help was needed.

Once everything had been planned out, the girls drew blueprints for a cabin to be placed on the mountain, and Phineas and Ferb were more than happy to build it for them. The cabin had two floors. The first floor mainly consisted of a stylish kitchen that was loaded with the most advanced cooking technology the guys could muster. The middle contained a large den with a huge TV and a couch that stretched around two walls and could easily sit twenty people. With the press of a button, the TV would retract into the wall, revealing a large and comfortable fireplace. The den lead to a long hallway. Halfway down the hall was a single white door. It lead to a room covered in white and decorated with only two small beds, a curtain between them, and a dresser which contained drawers of first aid equipment. Gretchen had specifically requested this room to ensure that they had a sterile place to treat injuries.

At the end of the hall was a stair case that lead to the second floor hall. Lining the hall were eight doors. Five of the doors lead to quest rooms containing two beds and a bathroom. The Fireside Rangers stayed in these rooms, save for Isabella, and left two open for guests. One served as a lab and communications room for researching medicine, contacting anyone on an assignment, and reviewing files granted by the city. Another served as a locker room for the girls. The walls were lined with lockers filled with gear the girls needed on the field. The last was the chief's room. Isabella was granted her own private quarters, which contained the basic necessities plus a small terminal for private conferences with their leader, Mrs. Feyersied.

The girls absolutely loved their work and would ask the guys to hang with them during the weeks between hunting seasons when their work was at a minimum. This was one of those weeks.

When the guys arrived at the cabin, Isabella, Holly, Katie, and Adyson were preparing to leave. "Sorry guys, we have to do a search for hunters one last time before we break" Isabella had explained. She and the others were dressed in their new uniforms, which consisted of dark silver shirts and dark brown pants. They also wore dark fingerless gloves, dark green berets, and traditional brown sashes, each with patches designating the individual's troop number, position, and accomplishments. Since the mountain was covered in snow, they adapted light brown jackets and scarfs to cover their faces. "With four of us, it shouldn't take long." With that, they activated their anti-gravity boots the guys built for them and headed in different directions, jumping through the trees. Phineas looked at his brother, who simply shrugged, and the four of them began to get settled in. That was 2 hours ago.

Phineas and Ferb were currently awaiting the return of the girls as they discussed various plans for future inventions.

"I guess you're right, Ferb. Training animals for espionage would be cool, but making them wear fedoras would be a little out there."

As he finished his statement, Gretchen rushed out the door, quickly looking around for something.

"What's wrong?" Ferb asked as she walked over to where they sat.

"Isabella radioed in and requested I be out here when she arrived. She sounded frantic." she responded, still eyeing the forest for any sign of her chief.

Phineas shot up from his seat, "Wait, what's wrong with Isa-".

Before he finished his statement, he heard a quiet thump and the sound of snow crunching under something heavy. He saw the look on Gretchen's face turn from worried to horrified.

"CHIEF!" She bolted from the porch. Phineas turned to look at where she was running. His eyes widened and his heart stopped at what he saw.

Isabella was lying on her side in the snow, pale and breathing heavily. She was clutching her sash to her side as hard as she could. Gretchen eyed where the sash was and issued orders over her radio. Phineas jumped from the porch and ran to her side.

"….and get the sedatives from the bottom drawer, Milly. We need to reduce the pain before using the new serum."

Gretchen finished talking to Milly and inspected the rest of Isabella's body. Phineas saw that she had a small cut on her cheek, which could easily be bandaged. What concerned him was her side.

He could see that the sash was covered in blood, the snow under her turning a darker shade of pink every passing second. Phineas only stood there in disbelief, unsure of what to do. Gretchen lifted the sash to inspect the wound. The gash was deep and traced just under her ribcage. Blood kept oozing from the wound, running down Isabella's shirt and escaping into the snow.

Gretchen removed Isabella's scarf and wrapped it around the wound tightly. Isabella's breathing became more ragged as she tried to speak. Gretchen immediately silenced her.

"Chief, we can talk later. Right now we have to focus on stopping the bleeding." Gretchen looked up and slapped Phineas' leg to make him focus.

"You have to help me get her in the cabin" she ordered with a stern look.

Phineas only nodded in response. He knelt down and gently scooped her up. Isabella whimpered lightly as he did. He hurried to the cabin, Gretchen in tow. Ferb held the door and they rushed down the hall to the white room. Milly had the room ready and showed Phineas where to place her. As soon as she was set down, Gretchen rushed Phineas out and shut the door. Phineas just stood and stared at the door. He finally turned to Ferb, both of them trying to understand what had happened.


	3. Isabella's Mishap

Isabella eyed the familiar city in the distance, a sense of nostalgia of her childhood washing over her. She could still remember what it felt like to traverse the city with her friends, earning every patch that she could, with or without the help of a certain pair of brothers. She gave a slight chuckle as her cheeks turned a light pink. She was amazed at herself on the fact that after 11 years, she still held affections for the red-headed brother. As oblivious as he was, they grew closer over the years. She knew that, no matter what happened, he had her back and vice versa. She shook her head to pull herself out of Phineasland.

_'Alright girl, remember. You have a job to do, so focus.'_

She turned her back to the skyline and began her journey back to their cabin. No matter how many times she did scouting assignments, she still got overly excited about the fact that she was traveling in the trees. A flip or two over a branch usually helped her keep a level head. Once she had enough momentum, she grabbed a branch overhead and swung herself into a double back-flip. That had to be the best one yet.

"Chief, you there?" Isabella heard over her radio as she landed from her little acrobatic outburst.

"Yeah, Katie, go Ahead."

"Nothing over here. Holly and Adyson reported the same."

Of course not. During the weeks between hunting seasons, hunters were usually too busy readying themselves to attempt anything dangerous. The Fireside Rangers had become notorious for busting everyone who overstepped the boundaries set. Some people hated them for that, but most respected them. Accidents involving traps decreased in number when the Fireside Rangers took charge, and the number of animals around the forest seemed to increase as well. Isabella took pride in the fact that she and her friends were responsible for that.

"Same here," she responded. "Round up the others and we'll head back to the-huh?"

Isabella stopped in her tracks as she saw something on the ground flash. Curiosity, as well as a sense of duty, made her hop down to ground level to investigate.

"Chief, everything okay?" Katie questioned.

"Yeah. Something on the ground flashed me. I'm gonna check it out." Isabella answered as she began searching through the brush in the object's general direction.

"Right, just be careful. Katie out." With that, her radio went silent.

_'Now where could it be? I know it's around her somewhere. Maybe it was just a reflection.'_

She was determined to uncover whatever it was, regardless how harmless. She continued through the brush until she came to a small clearing. Immediately, she knew something was off. To the normal eye, it was just a beautiful clearing with plenty of shade and a small tree in the center to rest under. Isabella's trained eyes saw through the illusion. Crouching down, she saw the invisible wires, barely visible in the shade, laced between the trees. She cautiously circled the outside of the enclosed area, hoping to find the device it triggered. She stopped on the opposite side, unable to find it.

_'Holly could find it faster than I could,_' she thought. She raised her hand to her ear and activated her radio.

"Holly, I found a trap here and I need you to locate its device. Trip wires are lining the area, but I'm having trouble finding the device."

She waited a few minutes before a response came. "Sure thing, boss. Just place a tracking disk in front of one of the wires and I'll be there ASAP."

"Roger that."

Isabella pulled out a small disk from her pack and pressed the clear button in the center. The button began flashing red, indicating it was transmitting properly. She approached the edge of the trap and went to place the device in the proper place. As she knelt down, she heard a light whistle and felt a stinging sensation on her cheek. She raised her hand to her cheek then brought it into view. Her eyes widened.

_'What the-'_

She couldn't believe it. On her fingers were small traces of blood. She had been cut, but from where? She carefully stood up and eyed her surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place. She turned her head in time to see another flash. Moments later, she heard another light whistle and felt a blinding pain in her side.

"GAH!" She stumbled back and clutched her side. From the corner of her eye, she saw the same flash again. Wasting no time, she immediately jumped back onto a tree branch and hid behind the tree.

_'So that's what the flash was from. It's a motion sensor. Must have missed me when I first came through.'_

Isabella propped herself against the tree and eyed her wound. From what she could tell, the cut ran deep. Blood had already soaked her shirt and was dripping on the branch. She removed her sash and pressed firmly onto the wound. She recalled from getting her first-aid patch that stopping the bleeding was a priority.

_'This won't hold long, so I have to hurry._' Isabella pushed herself off of the tree and placed the tracking disk on it.

"Holly, change of plans. The trap also has a motion sensor that launches projectiles where it senses motion. I've placed a tracking disk behind a tree opposite of the device. You and the others work together to find and disable it." Holly was taken back.

"Okay, chief. What about you?"

Isabella paused for a moment. "I was hit. I'm returning to the cabin."

"OH MY GOSH! Chief, you have to let us help you. We can have you back twice as fa-"

"NO!" Isabella interrupted, "This trap needs to be taken out before this happens to someone else. Don't worry, I'll be fine."Isabella immediately cut off her radio. As chief, what she said went. Isabella eyed her bloody sash and sighed, leaping painfully to another branch as she began her journey back.

Holly listened to the static in her radio, debating on what to do. She wanted to rush to her friend's side and help her, but she knew she needed to trust her chief. She finally contacted Adyson and Katie.

"Alright girls, listen up. The chief needs us to take out this device. We've dealt with motion sensors before. Use the protocol for a long distance take-out."

"Aye-aye!"

Holly quickened her pace._ 'Chief, you had better be okay.'_

Isabella had no idea how long she had been moving, but she was exhausted. Her body felt heavier and breathing had become difficult and painful. Her eyesight had started to blur as well.

_'Come on, Isabella. You are NOT going to give up. You have to make it back.'_

Ahead, she could see the outline of the cabin. With all the strength she could muster, she jumped from the last branch, hoping to come within view of the cabin. The anti-gravity boots gave her the boost she needed. As she neared the ground, she turned her uninjured side toward the ground, knowing her legs weren't strong enough to take the impact. She landed with a thud and slid a few inches. Through blurry eyes, she saw three figures on the porch. She vaguely heard someone scream and was greeted by a terrified Gretchen. Isabella attempted to focus on her while she issued orders to Milly. She saw the blurred outline of a red-headed figure approach them. She attempted to tell Gretchen how this happened, but her voice wouldn't come, replaced instead by ragged breathes. Gretchen was telling her something, but her voice was too faded to make out.

Gretchen removed her sash and replaced it with her scarf. She turned and spoke to the red-head, and as he leaned down to pick her up, Isabella could barely make out Phineas' face. As gentle as he was, the movement still caused her pain. A small whimper escaped before she could stop it. She could feel the wind hitting her face as they rushed her to the cabin. She did her best to keep herself from slipping into unconsciousness.

The last thing she remembered was passing through a white door.


	4. Hearing The News

**A/N: Thanks for the support, everyone! I was really concerned that the reviews wouldn't be as great as they have been. You guys really inspire me. :)**

"Milly, wet a cloth and get pressure on that wound." Gretchen ordered as she removed the scarf, as well as Isabella's jacket, gloves, and shirt, and tossed them to the floor.

As soon as the bloody clothes were removed, Milly pressed the drenched cloth on the wound. Gretchen retrieved a tablet from the dresser and activated it. A green beam ran over Isabella's body and data began accumulating on the screen. The data showed that none of her ribs were broken, but some muscles in her side had been torn. Her heart rate was slightly slower than normal, but her blood count had dropped considerably. With the wound still open, both would continue to drop. Gretchen began running through solutions in her head.

_'It's obvious that the best thing for this severe of a wound is the serum that I recently completed. The cell reproduction rate would increase tremendously. The muscles could rebuild themselves in a day and the wound would be just a scar in three. But the first few hours after application are extremely pain, even with sedatives.'_

She turned her back towards the bed and placed the tablet on the dresser. _'With the chief unconscious, the sedatives aren't guaranteed to last as long as she would need. With her heart rate low, the pain could send her into cardiac arrest.'_

Gretchen gripped the dresser to steady herself as the room began to spin; her mind pushing back the doubts on her best friend's survival. She took a deep breath.

_'Calm down, Gretch, everything will be fine. Just wrap up the wound and allow the blood to clot enough to reduce the bleeding. Her heart rate should return to normal and she will come to.'_

She grabbed two large patches, a roll of medical tape, and a roll of linen and returned to the bedside. Milly gave her a reassuring smile. She removed the blood-soaked cloth and they quickly got to work.

Adyson had never been so afraid to enter the cabin. After they disarmed the trap, Holly explained Isabella's absence. She and Katie immediately began to panic, but Holly firmly reminded them of the faith they needed the have in their leader.

"When Isabella says things will be okay, you can trust they will be." Those words had helped her remain calm at the moment, but that peace was soon shaken. As they headed back, they contacted Ginger to ensure Isabella's arrival.

"Yeah, she made it." Ginger's voice wasn't as relieved as they had hoped.

"And? Is she okay?" Katie questioned.

Ginger took in a shaky breathe. "We…we don't know. She was unconscious when Phineas carried her to the infirmary. Gretchen and Milly have been working on her for the past hour. They haven't announced anything." The news left the girls speechless. They rushed back as fast as humanly possible.

When they arrived, they hesitated at the front door. With shaking hands, Adyson opened it and entered. Buford, Baljeet, Ginger, and Ferb were waiting in the den. Ginger was sitting with her face in her hands, Baljeet rubbing her back comfortingly. Buford was propped against the wall, staring into the fireplace. Ferb was simply sitting on the couch, eyeing the hall.

Holly and Katie moved to where Ginger sat and Baljeet moved beside Ferb. They put their arms around her and tried to consult her, starting the cry themselves. Adyson looked around the room. Phineas was nowhere to be found. She turned to Ferb, who simply nodded towards the hall. She could barely make out his figure huddled on the floor by the infirmary door. As much as it hurt her to hear about Isabella's condition, she couldn't imagine how he felt, having to carry his best friend, covered in blood, and lay her down to an uncertain fate. Adyson felt hot tears start to run down her face. She saw Ferb get up and head down the hall as she moved next to her friends and joined them as they cried and prayed for the friend and leader.

After two hours, the wound was finally patched up. Milly let out an exhausted sigh as she double-checked their work. It took nearly an hour just to sanitize the wound alone. The two large patches just barely covered the wound. They had used medical tape to keep the patches in place while they binded them, as well as Isabella's chest, with a cloth wrap. Gretchen grabbed the tablet and scanned Isabella's body again.

"Her heartbeat is starting to work itself back to normal. The decrease in her blood count is beginning to stop. Looks like she will wake up soon and we can start applying the serum." Milly gave a small smile and placed her hand on her chest.

"Thank goodness."

Milly watched as Gretchen sat on the other bed and propped her elbows on her knees, one hand pinching the bridge of her nose. She folded a blanket gently over Isabella and placed her bloodied clothes in the wastebasket. She walked over to Gretchen and gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, I can tell them."

Gretchen looked up and gave her a weary smile. "Thanks."

Returning her smile, Milly headed out the door, mentally preparing herself. She wasn't surprised to see that Phineas had waited by the door. He stood and opened his mouth to question her, but she held up her hand and motioned for him and Ferb to follow her to the den. She walked to the front of the room and looked at her friends. Teary and hopeful eyes waited to hear what she had to say. She gave them a smile.

"She's okay for now. She is still unconscious, but her heartbeat is leveling out nicely and she should be awake by tomorrow. We'll continue her treatment then. Everything is going to be fine."

Everything was silent for a moment. Finally, the girls jumped from the couch and hugged Milly as tight as they could, squealing and crying for joy.

Phineas didn't know what to do. He couldn't believe what he had heard. He turned to Ferb, tears shining in his eyes. "Hear that, bro," his voice cracking as he spoke.

"She's gonna be okay."


	5. Of Love and Doubts

Phineas stood hesitantly in front of the white door. After Milly had told everyone the news, he and Ferb headed down the hall while the girls celebrated. As they approached the door, Gretchen walked out and closed it. Before he could say anything, she gave them permission to see her.

"Isabella is still unconscious and the wound is still open, so be as gentle as possible." Phineas noted how exhausted she looked, but that didn't stop him. She stumbled back in surprise as he hugged her.

"Thank you so much."

She offered him a small smile and moved past him towards the stairs. Ferb watched her and turned to his brother. Phineas chuckled lightly when he saw the look in his brother's eyes.

"Go ahead. She needs you more than I do. I'll be okay." With a nod, Ferb had followed her.

Phineas took a deep breath and opened the door. His heart nearly broke again when he saw her lying on the bed. Slowly closing the door, he approached the bed. Her color had begun to return and she looked as if she were only sleeping. He smiled slightly as he looked over her face. A lump developed in his throat as he eyed her wrapped torso. He sat on the other bed and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He folded his hands and placed them over his mouth.

From the time he saw her lying in the blood-soaked snow, he had been hoping that this was all just a cruel nightmare. He had hoped that he had fallen asleep on the couch during the gang's movie night. He wanted to feel Isabella slap his arm to wake him because the best part was coming up. He wanted to crack open an eye to see her in her familiar purple pajamas, fully invested in the movie; eyes wide in anticipation, knees hugged to her chest. He smiled at the mental image. Isabella had always been important to him. Most, if not all of their inventions had been to impress her. He never really understood why that was the case, it just was.

Today was different. When he thought that he would never get to see her again, never get to see her smile, never get to hear her squeal in delight as they finished a project, he felt himself falling apart. He felt that he didn't want her to be okay, he needed her to be. He lifted himself off the bed and knelt beside her. He began playing with a strand of her hair that was lying on her shoulder.

_'I think I'm beginning to understand.'_ He smiled softly as he grabbed her hand. He gently pulled it up to his lips and kissed the back of it.

"Wake up soon, Izzy. I need you."

Gretchen sighed as she slowly made her way to the lab. As happy as she was that her friend was going to make it, she knew the worst part was still ahead.

When she entered the lab, she closed the door behind her and walked over to the counter along the opposite wall. Sitting on the counter, surrounded by empty test tubes and lab equipment, was a bottle of substance labeled 'Cell Multiplier'. She picked up the bottle and swirled its contents. The light blue serum danced around the bottle, eager to get to work. She eyed the contents doubtfully.

_'Will this really do the trick?'_

She set the bottle down and propped her elbows on the counter. She placed her forehead in her hands and sat in thought. She had never doubted her research before, but she had also never had the task of saving a human life thrown in front of her either. When she first examined Isabella's heart rate, she felt as if she knew nothing. If Milly had not been there to support her, she was certain things would have been much worse.

Gretchen felt tears starting to form. She placed her glasses on the counter and quickly wiped them away.

"I don't have time for this."

"Time for what?" Gretchen nearly hit the ceiling.

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice that Ferb had entered the lab. She turned towards him as he closed the door.

"Geez, you scared the mess out of me."

Ferb shrugged and walked over to the counter. He eyed the bottle of serum then Gretchen, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"It's a new medicine I concocted. It will cause cells in the body to reproduce at an increased speed. Isabella's wound should be nothing but a scar by the end of the week."

Despite its impressiveness, Ferb could tell the statement was forced. Her usually optimistic tone was tainted with doubt. He placed a hand on her shoulder and tilted his head in concern. She lowered her head.

"Am I doing the right thing here? Normally, I can handle injuries without a doubt, but when I saw Isabella fighting for her life, I froze. I was afraid to lose my friend. I still am. The first few hours after the serum's application are extremely painful. What if that puts her in danger again? I…I couldn't…I…I just don't know."

She put her face in her hands and began to sob. Ferb's eyes softened. For as long as he had known her, Gretchen seemed like the most emotionally mature of the small band of friends. Whenever things seemed out of control, she always stood as a pillar of encouragement.

_'To see her like this…'_

He pulled her into his chest and embraced her. She wrapped her arms around him and continued sobbing. After a while, he felt her calm down. He pushed her back slightly and brushed her tears away.

"Isabella put you in charge of the infirmary because she knew your capabilities." He grabbed her glasses and placed them back on her face. He brushed a stray hair behind her ear.

"You are the most beautiful and intelligent woman I have ever come across. Have more confidence in yourself."

Gretchen stood there speechless, her entire face turning red. She stared at the green-haired man, who simply smiled. No matter the situation, Ferb always knew what to say. Soon, the smile had infected her.

"I guess you're right. Thank you." Ferb chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Of course I am."

Baljeet sat back as the girls continued with their praises on Gretchen and Milly's work. Buford joined him, claiming that the girls' excitement was too much, even for him. Baljeet just shook his head and continued to watch them, mostly Ginger. He was pulled out of his trance by a knock on the door. Buford lazily look over at him.

"Well?" Baljeet sighed and walked to the door.

"Please, allow me."

He opened the door slightly and peered around it. A man wrapped in a dark jacket stood there shivering. "Oh my, please come in." The man stepped through the door and narrowed his dark eyes at Baljeet.

"About time, boy." He lowered his hood, shaking the extra flakes from his dark hair. Everyone turned to him, slightly appalled by his rude response. Adyson put on her best smile and approached him.

"Sorry sir, but we have an extremely important issue to handle. Perhaps you should return next week when we are properly organized." The man just glared at her.

"Fine, I will make this quick. My name is Rodrigo and I demand that you return my motion sensor and its adjoining device."

Adyson's smile fell. The room's atmosphere turned vengeful as Baljeet slowly closed the door.


	6. Confrontation

Everyone was shocked and angered by Rodrigo's demand. They remained still, unsure of what to do. The man responsible for the condition of their best friend was in front of them, and they wanted to make him pay. Adyson was the first to recover. She crossed her arms and scoffed.

"You what?" He turned his attention to her.

"You heard me." He walked up and stood directly in front of her.

"I want my device. I should have known you little rangers would take it." Adyson smirked at the statement.

"You're darn right we did. You violated the law and we intend to do our job." Rodrigo chuckled lowly.

"You act as if you have some authority, but you and the other little girl scouts are nothing but pests."

_**SMACK!**_

Rodrigo stumbled back, holding his cheek. The other girls and Baljeet stood in awe of what happened. Adyson slowly returned her hand to side, clenching it into a tight fist. Her face was red with anger and her words came out like fire.

"I'm going to make sure you NEVER see that device again."

Rodrigo's eyebrows knitted together tightly and he took a step towards Adyson.

"Why, you little-" Before he could finish, he came face to face with Buford.

"I'd rethink that if I were you," Buford warned.

Rodrigo growled, but stepped back. He let out a frustrated sigh and looked straight into Buford's eyes.

"Return my device."

Buford shrugged and replied snidely. "Sorry, we Van Stomms don't do business with rude customers."

Rodrigo stalked up to Buford and put his face to his. "Return it now."

Buford grabbed him by the collar and held him at arm's length.

"Keep working on my nerves and you won't leave here whole. We already told you that you won't be getting the device back. That piece of crap got their leader and we ain't too happy about that."

Rodrigo kept his eyes locked on Buford as he tried to free himself from his grip.

"It's not my fault the girl was too stupid to mind her own business."

Before he thought about it, Buford picked up the man by his collar and slammed him roughly against the wall beside the door. The action knocked the breath out of Rodrigo and shook the door beside them. The loud bang echoed down the hall.

Phineas shot up in surprise. _'What in the world is going on?'_

He gently laid Isabella's hand by her side and walked to the door. When he opened it, he was greeted by a concerned Gretchen and Ferb.

"Phineas, what happened?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. It didn't come from here. Maybe it came from the-"

"YOU WANNA RUN THAT BY ME AGAIN, JERK-FACE!"

The group turned toward the den. Exchanging confused looks, they rushed to the source of the commotion. As soon as they entered the room, they saw Buford holding a stranger against the wall. They were both clearly ticked off. What they didn't understand was why no one was helping the man. The brothers rushed over and pulled Buford off. Phineas stood between them and Ferb held on to Buford.

"Buford, calm down. What's going on?"

Phineas looked to Buford for answers, but he just glared menacingly at the man. Phineas turned to the girls and Baljeet, all of whom avoided eye contact. Phineas sighed and turned to the man.

"Sorry about that, but my friend can be a little hard to get along with. My name's Phineas." Phineas extended a hand, but the man simply folded his across his chest.

"I'm Rodrigo."

"Okay, well, what can I help you with?" Rodrigo eyed him questioningly, but then smirked.

"I came to retrieve a device of mine that the girls had confiscated. I hoped to do it peacefully," he eyed Buford, "but you see how that ended." Phineas heard Buford growl and sent him a stern look.

"Again, sorry about that. Which one is it?"

Rodrigo looked past Phineas at the girls. Gretchen stood in front of them and, having been brought up to speed, was staring warily at Rodrigo. Phineas' breath hitched when he heard her speak.

"The one that got Isabella."

Phineas turned to Rodrigo, eyes wide in surprise. Rodrigo simply pointed at Gretchen.

"That one."

Phineas stood motionless, his eyes focused on the floor.

_'This is the guy responsible. This is the guy that caused her so much pain. This is the guy that nearly took her from me.'_ Phineas felt heat rising in his chest. He clenched his fists and took a deep, calming breath. He looked up threateningly at Rodrigo.

"You…you do know that your trap hit our friend." Rodrigo nodded.

"I understand that, however the circumstance is her fault. Being a ranger, she should have known not to approach strange devices. I hold no liability in that, so don't expect me to do anything with her funeral."

Phineas clenched his teeth and tightened his fist, his knuckles turning white. The heat in his chest expanded quickly.

"She. Isn't. Dead."

Rodrigo's eyes widened slightly, but he recovered his composure and smirked.

"Hn, lucky girl."

The heat exploded into an inferno. Pulling his arm back as far as he could, Phineas sent his fist into Rodrigo's face. It connected with his nose and sent him flying to the floor. Rodrigo writhed on the floor and screamed in pain, blood pouring from his nose. Phineas stood over him, wiping his dirtied knuckle on his shirt. He stood there for a moment, debating what to do next.

_'Come on, Flynn. Give him another. Look at all that he has put you through, what he put her through. Put him through all of the pain she went through. Make him pay!'_

He grabbed Rodrigo and brought his fist up for another. What stopped him was the look in Rodrigo's eyes.

Fear. Not fear of Phineas, but fear for his life.

_'Just like her eyes.'_ He released Rodrigo. He walked into the kitchen, wet a cloth, and threw it harshly at the defeated man.

_'His actions made her fear for her life. For me to do this makes me no better than him.'_ Phineas glared at him coldly.

"Don't come back again. The device will be scrapped" He walked to the edge of the hall and turned to Buford.

"Get him out of here." With that, he made his way down the hall to the infirmary.

Buford grabbed Rodrigo by the back of the collar and walked out the door. He threw him off the porch into the snow. The remaining group made their way outside and watched as he stumbled to his snowmobile and disappeared down the mountain.


	7. Getting Through The Night

Phineas ran a hand over his face as he sat on the vacant infirmary bed. He eyed the hand that he used for revenge against Rodrigo. While it stung slightly, there was only a small cut on his middle knuckle. He grimaced as he recalled Rodrigo's statement.

_'Lucky girl. He seemed surprised that she survived. How powerful was that trap?'_ He looked from his hand to Isabella.

_'It must have been set to kill large game. If that's the case, then maybe he was right.'_

Phineas contemplated this for a moment. If this had happened to anyone else, they probably wouldn't have stayed conscious long enough to make it to the cabin. They would have been gone before then. But Isabella made it. Wasn't that luck? Phineas chuckled lightly.

_'No, no it wasn't'_ He leaned an elbow on his knee and rested his chin in his hand. He stared admirably at the unconscious ranger.

"You know, if I didn't know you any better, I'd say you survived because you just refused to be beaten that easily. Especially by a jerk like him."

"That certainly sounds like our chief."

Phineas turned to see Gretchen in the doorway. She walked to the dresser and grabbed the tablet. She analyzed Isabella's readings with a smile.

"Everything looks good. She's recovering fairly well."

"That's great," Phineas said wearily. Gretchen took notice, put the tablet away, and joined Phineas on the bed.

"Wanna talk about it?" Phineas sighed and turned to her.

"I don't know where to start. She's been my best friend for years, but, after today, I feel like that needs to change. While you and Milly were patching her up, I was terrified. I began thinking, 'what if she doesn't make it?' It was tearing me apart. When I heard she was going to be okay, it made me so happy. It meant that I could see her smile again. I realized I need her in my life, and I don't plan on keeping that to myself anymore. When she recovers, I'm going to tell her."

Gretchen was surprised at this confession. Sure, she knew that his feelings had moved past friendship over the years, but she never thought that he would admit it. She smiled and rose from the bed. She gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

"Good for you. You have no idea how happy that will make her." She glanced down at her watch.

"It's getting late. You should try to get some rest, especially after this long day."

Phineas stood and stretched his back, every bone popping as he did. Gretchen ushered him towards the door.

"You expect me to sleep?" Phineas yawned as soon as he finished. Gretchen giggled.

"It will be easier than you think."

Phineas dragged himself up the stairs and down the hall to the room, his body feeling heavier with every step. He closed the door behind him and flopped onto the bed. For the first time today, comfort welcomed him. He stared at the ceiling for a while and, despite fighting his drooping eyelids, fell into a deep slumber.

_Phineas shielded his eyes as they adjusted to the bright room. The room was solid white and bare. Phineas glanced around for any clues on his location. Finding nothing, he called out to no one particular._

_"Hello?"_

_His voiced echoed around the room. From behind him, he heard someone giggling. He turned and found a lone figure facing away from him. He crossed the room and, when he came close, the figure took notice of him. She turned her head to look over her shoulder, her raven hair falling over her shoulder and down her back. Her dark blue eyes met his in complete bliss. She smiled and twirled around to face him, hands folded behind her back. Phineas was in awe of the sight before him. Her white dress hugged her from her shoulders to her waist, then hung loosely down to her calves. Her raven hair shined under the light of the room. She blushed slightly and giggled at his reaction. She took a step forward and tilted her head slightly._

_"What'cha doin'?" Phineas felt his heart warming as she spoke. Tears began to fall down his face and he pulled her into a hug._

_"You're okay. Thank goodness, you're okay." He felt her wrap her arms around him and pat his back._

_"Of course I am, silly." He pulled back and placed a hand on her cheek._

_"There's something I have to tell you." She looked up at him eagerly._

_"Isabella, I –"_

_Suddenly the room's white walls turned black. Phineas' eyes roamed the room before turning back to her. Her eyes were wide with panic, the same fear he remembered from earlier returning. She sank in his arms, her body turning cold. Phineas wrapped an arm around her waist and gently lowered the both of them to their knees._

_"Isabella, what's wrong?" His eyes traveled down to her dress. Red was slowing creeping from her side and covering the dress. He placed a hand on her side, red soon coating it too. His eyes went wide in panic._

_"Come on, Izzy, stay with me," he begged. Her body began to fade into particles of light, each one slowly lifting away from him._

_"No, no, no. Come on, you can make it." He desperately eyed the room for any sign of help._

_"Please, anyone, help!" It was of no use. He watched in horror as the last particle lifted away, leaving only a pool of blood before him. His arms fell limply at his side as he stared at the blood in shock. Tears fell endlessly down his face. He clenched his teeth and punched the ground in front of him._

_"ISABELLA!"_

Phineas jolted upright in his bed, panting. He was drenched in sweat and his sheets had been kicked to the floor. He placed a hand on his chest, trying to calm himself.

_'It was just a dream. More like a nightmare'_ He glanced across the room towards the other bed. The moon's light shining through the window revealed the outline of his still sleeping brother. He glanced at the alarm clock.

_'It's only 4 am. I should try to get more rest, but first I need to wash up.'_ He got up and walked to the bathroom. He threw cold water on his face and stared into the mirror.

_'Just calm down, you're getting worked up for nothing. She is gonna be fine.'_ He dried his face and made his way back to his bed.

As he passed the door, he heard a light but constant knocking coming from down the hall. He cracked open the door and peeked out into the hall. Milly was standing in the hall in her lab coat, knocking desperately on someone's door. Phineas guessed it was her turn to watch over Isabella.

_'What is she doing?'_

Phineas saw the door open, revealing a hardly awake Gretchen. Phineas couldn't make out what Milly was telling Gretchen, but whatever it was, it woke her up quickly. Gretchen retreated back into the room for a moment, then rushed out with her lab coat and the two quickly made their way towards the stairs. Phineas pulled the door closed to avoid being seen. When he heard them go downstairs, he snuck into the hall. He silently closed the door to his room and tiptoed down the stairs. He heard the infirmary door close quietly and his heart began to race. He snuck over to the door and placed an ear to it. He could hear Gretchen's muffled voice and a curtain being drawn.

_'Please let everything be okay.'_ Phineas cracked the door slightly and peered inside. The curtain was pulled in front of Isabella's bed and silhouettes were cast on it from the lamp behind the girls. Phineas saw Gretchen's and Milly's shadows beside the bed. Since the bed's side faced the door, their shadows blended together, making it difficult to see the silhouette of the bed and its content. They appeared to be unwrapping Isabella's bindings. Phineas began to worry.

_'Has something gone wrong?'_ He continued to watch them from the door, afraid to disturb them. Finally, they stopped unwrapping and one of the figures moved to the side. The other was patting something on the bed that was level with her chest.

_'What are they doing?'_

"Milly, could you help me ready the bandages?" Phineas saw the figure still in front of the bed move. When she did, a new silhouette appeared. Phineas leaned forward to get a better view. The new silhouette was sitting in the middle of the bed, a sheet pulled up to its chest. Phineas' eyes widened in disbelief. He turned to the other figures. He counted two of them.

_'If that's Gretchen and Milly, then that means…'_ He turned his attention back to the third.

"Could you guys hurry up? It's cold." His heart jumped at that familiar voice.

_'She's awake!'_


	8. Her Comfort

**A/N: Hey, everyone! I meant to say this in the last chapter, but I got excited and forgot...but anyways, I used the same Rodrigo from 'Minor Monogram'. Hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. ^^**

Isabella opened her eyes to an endless darkness. She had no idea where she was, but she felt like she was floating in a deep body of water. Her body felt cold and numb.

_'Guess I didn't make it.'_ She sighed, small bubbles flowing from her mouth and ascending into the darkness.

_'Sorry, Holly. Looks like I didn't keep my word.'_

She felt as if she would cry, but she couldn't. She didn't know what she should feel. After all, how do you accept your own death? She let her mind wonder to all the people she left behind.

Her mom.

The Fireside Rangers.

Buford.

Baljeet.

Ferb.

Phineas.

_'Phineas.'_ She let her mind linger on his name. She went back to the days when they were younger.

He and his brother would lead them on the craziest adventures anyone has ever seen. They did things others thought were impossible. Phineas refused to be held down, whether it was by the laws of physics or someone's discouragement. Whenever he said "Carpe Diem", the world was in for a surprise. That's what made her fall in love with him. She remembered trying to earn his affections as a child; assisting him as much as possible, flirting with him, dropping hints like crazy. He never got it, though. Her chest began to ache.

_'I never did get up the courage to tell him directly. Maybe things would have turned out differently if I did.'_

She closed her eyes and let herself drift limply through the darkness. After a while, she felt a weird sensation on the back of her hand. She lifted it in front of her face to examine it. A voice rang out in her head.

_'Wake up soon, Izzy. I need you.'_ Her hand began to feel warm. She smiled and cradled her hand to her chest, curling into a ball.

_'Oh Phineas, I wish I could.'_ She remained that way until she felt the warmth begin to disappear. She eyed her hand, hoping for the sensation to return.

_'I guess this is really the end for me.'_ She closed her eyes once more, finally excepting her fate. Suddenly, his voice returned.

_'You just refused to be beaten that easily.'_ Her eyes shot open, his words echoing in her head.

_'He's right. I am Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, leader of the Fireside Rangers. I can't just give up like this.'_ She felt her body begin to warm. Below her, a light flickered in the distance. She turned to face it and pushed herself towards it. As she got closer, she felt the light surround her and diminish the darkness.

_'Wait for me, Phineas. Next time, I'll be direct.' _

Isabella's eyes fluttered open. At first, everything was hazy, but when her vision cleared, she saw that she was in their infirmary.

_'I guess I was just unconscious.'_ She lifted her head to look around the room.

Through the window, she could see the moon shining just above the trees, preparing to give way to another day. Milly was facing away from her, working on something on the dresser. A small lamp cast just enough light for her to work efficiently. Isabella pushed herself to sit up. She made it halfway up before she felt a sharp pain in her side. She drew in a sharp breathe and fell back, supporting herself on her elbows. Milly spun around, the sudden noise startling her. Her eyes went wide and she nearly dropped the bottle in her hand.

"Isabella!"

She rushed to the bed and gently helped her sit up. Isabella winced, leaning forward to shift the weight off her side. Milly patted her back and looked over her body.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a bus." Milly giggled.

"Believe it or not, that's a good thing." She retrieved the tablet and scanned Isabella.

"Everything looks fine. Hang tight while I go get Gretchen." She practically ran out the door.

Isabella chuckled at her friend's enthusiasm. She lifted her arm to survey the bandage that held the wound. It had a solid red line over where the wound was located, indicating that it needed to be changed. She ran her hand over her cheek.

_'I guess that cut healed already.'_ She heard the door open and was greeted by Gretchen.

"Chief, thank goodness you're awake! You had us worried sick." Isabella smiled and rubbed the back of her head awkwardly.

"Sorry about that. It's good to be back." She pointed to her side. "I think it's time for a new wrap."

Gretchen looked at the cloth and nodded. She grabbed a cloth and a bottle of sterilizer from the dresser and Milly pulled the curtain to. They stood on either side of the bed and Isabella placed her hands on her head. Milly untucked the end of the wrap on her chest and began to unravel it. Isabella found it hard to keep a straight face as the wrap began to pool around her waist. Once Milly collected the dirty wrap, Gretchen began to peel off the bandage.

As she expected, the blood was clotting up the wound, though it was barely noticeable. She handed the bandages to Milly and wet the cloth with the sterilizer. She gently began cleaning the wound. She made sure to clear off the dried blood around it, and then started on the wound itself. She felt Isabella twitch every now and again as she got closer to the middle of the wound. Isabella whimpered as she gently patted over the scabbed middle, hoping not to cause it to open. Milly patted Isabella's back as encouragement to brave through the cleaning. Once she finished, Gretchen returned the bottle and bloodied rag to the dresser and began to prepare the new bandages. Isabella pulled the sheet up to cover herself, trying to stay both warm and decent. Milly continued to pat her back.

"You're doing great, chief." Isabella smiled in gratitude.

"Milly, could you help me ready the bandages?" Milly rushed to Gretchen's side and they began the preparations. Isabella shuddered slightly as a light draft blew through the room.

"Could you guys hurry up? It's cold."

"Almost ready." She saw them fumbling quickly through the drawers. As they were finishing up, she heard footsteps coming from the other side of the curtain. She eyed the curtain suspiciously.

_'Who could that be?'_ Seconds later, the curtain flew back. The girls released a short-lived scream. Isabella jerked back slightly, wincing at the painful movement. Gretchen and Milly steadied themselves against the dresser, trying to calm their speeding hearts. Isabella sighed in relief as the light revealed their "intruder".

"Phineas, please let us know when you enter the room. You nearly gave us all heart attacks."

Isabella expected a toothy grin and a blush born from embarrassment, but instead he looked shocked. He absentmindedly took steps towards her. When he reached the bed, he squatted until his head was level with hers. She raised an eyebrow questioningly as he searched her eyes with his.

"Phineas, are you okay?"

She received no verbal response. He raised his hand and cautiously placed it on her cheek. Isabella blushed at his affectionate touch.

"Tell me I'm not dreaming again. You're okay, right?" Isabella was taken back.

_'What does he mean "dreaming again"?'_ She noticed that his eyes were red from the lack of sleep.

_'He lost sleep over this. Was he that concerned for me?'_ She stared at him for a few moments, trying to understand the meaning behind his words.

"Isabella?"

His voice snapped her out of the daze. Her face softened and she offered him a small smile. She placed her hand on top of his hand on her cheek and leaned into his touch.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Phineas felt his body relax at her statement. They remained that way until they heard Gretchen clear her throat.

"I'm glad you two got to share this happy moment, but you'll have to continue later. Isabella isn't…um…"properly dressed" for the occasion." They lowered their hands and looked at her in confusion. It wasn't until they looked down that they understood what she meant.

Isabella squealed and her face turned tomato red as she pulled the sheet tighter to herself. Phineas fell back, his face doing the same. Milly laughed as Gretchen helped him up and pushed him back behind the curtain.

"Go get everyone else and wait in the den. We'll come get you when we are done here."

Phineas nodded and headed out the door, face starting to return to its normal hue. He retrieved everyone from their rooms and told them about Isabella's awakening. The den filled with excitement and anticipation as everyone waited for Gretchen and Milly. After some time, Milly made her way to the den. Everyone stood as she spoke.

"Okay guys, she's ready."


	9. Confessions

**A/N: Hey, guys! Again, thanks for the encouragements. Between college and getting sick, I was having a hard time thinking about what to do for this chapter. I hope it lives up to your expectations! :)**

Isabella braced herself as her friends charged into the room. The girls gathered around the bed, debating how safe it was to touch their fragile leader. Isabella giggled when she saw it in their eyes.

"It's okay, guys. As long as you're gentle, there's no problem." The girls enveloped her in a group hug. Joyful tears fell as they spilled their hearts out to her.

"Chief, we're so glad you're okay!"

"You had us worried sick. Don't ever do that again!"

"I knew something like this wouldn't keep our chief down!"

Isabella felt herself tear up as her heart melted from their love and concern. After a few moments, everyone pulled away, wiping their eyes. Once everything settled down, Isabella cleared her throat to get their attention.

"So, how was everything while I was out?" The girls looked at each other, deciding who should tell. All eyes fell to Adyson, who crossed her arms and began the story.

"Well, chief. Everything was quiet until a guy named Rodrigo stopped by." Isabella raised an eyebrow.

"He's the jerk who set the trap. He came to demand we return it to him. He was extremely rude and didn't seem to regret what happened to you. Buford and I handled him before Phineas stepped in. He learned his place quickly then." Isabella's eyes widened.

"There was a fight!?" Adyson chuckled.

"I wouldn't call it that. Phineas exploded and had the guy down in one hit. He was ready to lay into him, but for some reason he stopped himself and had Buford throw him out." Isabella stared at her, her mouth hung open in disbelief. Phineas…in a fight? No way!

_'That Rodrigo guy must have REALLY ticked him off.'_ Isabella smiled and shook her head.

"I can't leave you guys unattended for one day without trouble coming along, can I?" The room erupted into laughter. After a while of chatting and joking, Isabella noticed the sun begin to peek over the trees. Katie stretched and made her way to the door.

"Well, I'm gonna make breakfast. Who's hungry?" The crowd followed her out the door. Gretchen stopped in the doorway and turned back to Isabella.

"Feel like eating anything?" Isabella shook her head.

"No thanks, my appetite hasn't returned yet."

"Okay, I'll be back in a while to discuss what needs to be done next. Will you be okay?" Given a thumbs up, Gretchen joined the others. When the door clicked shut, Isabella let her mind wander to Phineas' actions. They concerned her a bit.

_'That's not like him at all. I mean, yeah the guy did something bad and it ended up injuring someone, but the Phineas I know would have just yelled at him or something, not take it that far.'_ Isabella played with the edge of the sheet on her lap, trying to make sense of what she heard.

_'It didn't sound like Rodrigo threw the first punch, or any for that matter. Maybe he was being too rude and Phineas had had enough. No, that can't be it. People have been really rude to him before and he just brushed it off. Geez, Flynn, you are so difficult to figure out sometimes. What could have made you flip?'_ Isabella stopped fiddling with the sheet as another thought entered her mind.

_'Could it have been…me?'_ A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. The door opened a crack and a voice came through.

"Isabella, are you…um…decent?" Isabella's cheeks turned pink, and she giggled at his question.

"Yes, Phineas. The girls wrapped my chest along with my side, so unless bare shoulders are too much for you, I'm covered." Phineas stepped through the door and closed it behind him, his face a little red. He walked over to the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Isabella looked at him and smiled.

"I'm okay." A few moments of awkward silence passed through them before Isabella spoke.

"Phineas, I need to talk to you." Phineas nodded.

"Same here."

Isabella patted the bed beside her legs, offering a seat. Phineas gently lowered himself and Isabella adjusted her body so that the added weight wouldn't affect her side. She took in a hesitant breathe.

"Adyson told me what happened…with you and Rodrigo." Phineas lowered his head.

"She did?"

"Yes. She said that you lost it and was ready to lay him out. That isn't something that you would normally do. You are better than that." His head sank lower. Isabella sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, I'm not trying to scold you for it. I just…I don't understand what could have driven you that far. I can see that coming from Buford and Adyson, but not you. Please explain that to me."

"Explain it?" he mumbled. Phineas removed her hand from his shoulder and lay it on the bed, keeping his hand on it. He looked up at her questioning, yet concerned face. By the look on his, Isabella could tell he was trying to choose his words. Finally, he spoke.

"He…he treated what happened…like it had happened to an animal. He didn't see the value of the life that got his toy taken away. It…it made me angry that he could think that way, especially about you, and I acted on instinct." He stared into the white sheets, remembering everything Rodrigo had said. Isabella could feel his hand tightening around hers as he spoke.

"After the first punch, I felt myself wanting to hurt him more. I thought that he needed to feel all the pain you felt and come to understand how it feels to fight for his life. I would have killed him, but in the end, I…I…I couldn't"

Isabella sat in shock at his story. Caring, innocent Phineas had been ready to nearly kill a man…because of what his mistake did to her. She lowered her eyes to their hands and saw the cut on his knuckle. She eyed it in contempt.

_'I have to know…'_

"What made you stop?"

The question took Phineas by surprise. He looked up at her, seeing her staring the cut. When she received no answer, she turned her attention to him. He looked into her eyes, replaying the fear he saw that filled them during yesterday's events. His eyes then fell to where her wound was. Isabella watched curiously as he took his hand off of hers and moved it over her lap to the wound. She gasped, in surprise and slight pain, as he tenderly ran the back of his fingers just under it.

"I didn't want to be like him."

He returned his hand to his side and awaited her response. She just stared at him, unsure of what to say. He sighed disappointedly and leaned forward to rest his forehead on her shoulder. The warmth of her skin calmed his mind.

"Stopping didn't help, did it? I became like him anyways." Phineas was on the verge of tears. He felt her hand stroke the back of his hand comfortingly. He shivered slightly when he felt her breathe on his ear as she spoke.

"Don't say that. He did what he did out of disregard for others. You followed your heart and did the right thing." Isabella saw his shoulders relax at her statement. Phineas smiled to himself, her words resonating in his mind. He sat up and looked endearingly at her.

"I guess I need to follow my heart more often." He placed a hand on hers, and gulped nervously.

"Yesterday, I had my worst nightmare come true. When I saw you laying in a pool of blood, I felt my heart shatter. As the girls worked on you, I kept thinking to myself, 'what if I lose her?' I couldn't imagine coming here and not being able seeing you. I realized that I need you to be okay. You are my inspiration to build. Your laugh motivates me beyond my abilities. Your smile brightens my day regardless of circumstances. Without you, I'm just plain old Phineas Flynn. Isabella, I love you more than anyone could comprehend and I want you by my side forever."

Isabella felt her eyes water. She turned her hand so that her palm touched his, and covered them with her other.

"You…have no idea what that means to me. During our adventures as kids, I fell in love with you. I kept telling myself it wasn't real, but the feeling never left my heart. While I was unconscious, I scolded myself for never getting the courage to tell you face to face. I promised myself I would tell you when I got the chance. I love you, Phineas, and nothing would make me happier than to spend my life with you." Phineas smiled and intertwined their fingers.

"I'm so glad to hear that." They sat there for a moment, waiting for the other to move. Phineas scratched the side of his face nervously, turning pink.

"Isabella, is it okay if I…k-kiss you?" She giggled.

"Of course, silly."

He leaned forward nervously, stopping a few inches in front of her face. They looked into each other's eyes, anticipation leaking from them. Slowly, they closed the gap between their lips. The kiss was tender and innocent, a first for them both. The world seemed to fade away as they melted together. He placed a hand on the small of her back while she snaked her arms around his neck. They leaned their heads, deepening the kiss. In their hearts, it felt as if everything was finally where it needed to be. Concealed feelings had been made known, and now they felt whole. Together, they would build a love to outlast time. They pulled back slowly, Isabella placing her hands on his chest. Phineas moved the hand on her back over her hands, cradling them closer to him. They chuckled as they placed their foreheads together.

"Phineas, that was perfect."

"Yea, just how I dreamed it would be."

They sat back, their hands interlocking between them. They heard a light knock on the door and Gretchen entered, holding a small paper bag. She eyed their hands and smiled.

"Looks like I took just enough time." They smiled at each other, then at her. Gretchen set the bag on the dresser and walked to the bed. Phineas stood so that she could examine Isabella.

"Everything looks good." Isabella sighed in relief.

"So what's next?"

"Well," Gretchen said as she made her way back to the dresser, "we need to get that wound to close quickly, so we will use this." She pulled the bottle of serum from the bag and held it up so they could see it. Phineas and Isabella tilted their heads on curiosity.

"This is a serum I concocted that will speed up cell reproduction rates where it is applied. With steady application, your wound will be a scar by the end of the week." Isabella clapped her hands in excitement.

"Yay! So when do we start?" Gretchen set the bottle on the dresser.

"We have to wait a few more hours for your blood count to reach where I want it. Doing that will keep our unknown variable in the positive." Phineas raised an eyebrow.

"What's the unknown?" Gretchen turned to him, sending him a look that meant anything but good. She looked to Isabella, her look turning pitiful.

"Her reaction to the pain."


	10. Preparations

**A/N: Sorry about the wait, guys. Exams can be a pain. (-.-) Anyways, hope this chapter makes up for it!**

Isabella pondered on Gretchen's words for a moment.

"My reaction to the pain?" Gretchen nodded at her question. Isabella turned to Phineas, who was glaring at the floor with a hand on his chin, deep in thought. He snapped his head up to speak to Gretchen.

"If you're so concerned about the pain, then why don't you use sedatives? That would help." Gretchen crossed her arms and leaned against the dresser.

"Normally, that would be the case. Sedatives are used to numb the nerves of cells and render them unable to relay pain to the brain. That…isn't going to be the case when the serum is used. The serum is supposed to increase cell reproduction. Every time another cell is created, so is another neurotransmitter. The more neurotransmitters present, the less effective the sedative. That being said, the sedatives aren't completely ineffective. They will make the process somewhat bearable."

Isabella gulped at the last remark. She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"So…how long will it last?"

"The serum will be stitching together the inner most muscles, which are more sensitive than the outer most. As deep as the wound is, it might take around a few hours to completely heal the inner muscles. That will be the worst of it. You will get the largest possible dose of sedatives, but the pain will still be intense." Isabella lowered her head, trying to hide the distress coming to her face. Gretchen went to her side, placing an arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

"I'm sorry, but it's all I could think to do to get the wound to close. I'll do everything I can to keep the pain to a minimum. I know that you, better than anyone else, can pull through it, but if it's too much please let me know." Isabella turned to her, forcing a trustful smile and shaky enthusiasm.

"Don't worry about me. I trust that you have the best outcome in mind, and I am ready to follow. Remember, I am Isabella Garcia-Shapiro. I'm not going to let this keep my down forever."

Gretchen knew those words weren't meant to encourage her. She looked to Phineas for help, and he nodded in response. Gretchen stood and collected the serum. As she passed Phineas, she placed a pleading hand on his shoulder.

"She needs your comfort more than anything right now," she whispered. His eyes let her know that he understood, and she walked out, closing the door behind her. Phineas returned his attention to Isabella. She was staring blankly at the sheet, her face reflecting her melancholy.

_'So that's the next step. Here I thought the worst part was over. Can I really make it through that?'_

She felt the bed dip slightly as Phineas sat at her legs. He waited for a moment, but her eyes never left the sheet. He saw her hands grip the sheet tight in an attempt to keep her eyes dry. He slid further up the bed until he was at her side and pulled her gently into his chest. Isabella sat in shock for a moment, but her previous demeanor soon returned. She pulled back from him, offering a small smile.

"Thanks, but I'm okay." Her voice came out weaker than she wanted. She could tell he didn't believe her. Her eyes wandered back to the sheets. Phineas sighed.

_'This is going to be harder than I thought. She has always been strong, never wanting to burden others. I want her to know that she doesn't have to do it alone, but what should I do?'_ He watched her, debating on what to do. He saw her eyes begin to water. She raised her hand to wipe her eyes, hoping he didn't notice. He surprised her when he grabbed her wrist to stop her. She eyed him questioningly.

"What's wrong?"

"You don't have to do that anymore." She tilted her head slightly in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" He let go of her wrist, instead taking her hand in his. He stroked the back of her hand gently. He looked into her eyes, noticing their lack of strength.

"You've always taken whatever came your way with the most optimism of anyone I know. You've stood by everyone when they needed you, but never asked of it in return. You're trying to keep their spirits up, but tearing yourself up in the process. You don't need to pretend to be strong in this. You need to lose the façade and do what you feel you need to. I know this is hurting you more than you are letting on, and I would do anything to make it go away. I'm here for you and I will help you through this, if you'll let me."

His words left her speechless. She saw the sincerity and determination in his eyes and knew she couldn't hide it from him. She felt the tears began to fall down her face and lowered her head.

"What exactly am I supposed to say?" She pulled her hand from his and hugged herself.

"You're right, okay. I'm not fine with this, I'm terrified. When I was running back here after I got hit, I saw how much blood I had lost and I thought I was going to die. I was surprised to wake up. I thought the reason to fear was gone. Just now, Gretchen spoke as if there was a chance I could bleed out or not be able to take the pain. I don't want to feel like that again. What if I'm not strong enough this time? What if…what if…" Her sobs prevented her from continuing. She hugged herself tighter as tears fell steadily.

"I've…I've never…felt this way…before." She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes pleading for help.

"I don't know what to do." Phineas placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Isabella…"

She fell forward and sobbed into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and planted a kiss on her head. He knew that she needed this, but seeing her like this made his heart ache. He sat and said nothing, letting her cry to her heart's content. After a long while, Isabella sat up and wiped her eyes. She offered a small smile to Phineas.

"Thank you." He smiled and placed a hand on hers.

"You aren't going in this alone. I'll stay here during the procedure and help you anyway I can." Her smile widened and she threw her arms around his neck, ignoring the slight pain at the movement. She gave him a light peck on the lips and hugged him.

"That would mean the world to me. Thank you." He was surprised by her reaction, but hugged her back.

"Anything for you." She sat back, blushing from her actions and his words.

They heard a light knock on the door. Gretchen popped her head in.

"It's almost time." She saw how red and puffy Isabella's eyes were. She glanced at Phineas, who gave her a small smile, then back to her.

"Are you okay with doing this?" Isabella nodded at her friend, then looked to Phineas.

"Yeah, I am now."

Gretchen opened the door, holding it for Milly. In Milly's hands was a small tray with the serum, a few bottles of sedatives, syringes, and a small medicine dropper. She set the tray on the dresser and began to fill the syringes with sedatives. Isabella took in a deep breath. Phineas placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She smiled and placed her hand on his, feeling her confidence returning. Gretchen walked over to the bed and straightened out the pillows.

"Okay, we're about to start." Phineas felt her hand tighten over his. Gretchen's eyes gestured for him to leave, but he shook his head.

"I'm staying with her." Gretchen nodded, knowing they had already decided on this.

"Okay. Isabella, I need you to lay on your side." Isabella lay back on the pillows and turned to her side, her back facing the two nurses. Phineas knelt down to her level.

"You're going to do fine." She smiled at him and took his hand.

"With you here, I will be."

Gretchen lay a small sheet over Isabella's chest and unwrapped the cloth binding her, leaving the bandage on her side exposed. Milly stood beside Gretchen, syringe in hand. Gretchen grabbed the edge of the bandage.

"Ready?" Isabella gulped, nodding slowly.

She gently squeezed Phineas' hand as Gretchen began to peel away the bandage.


	11. The Procedure

**A/N: Sorry again for the delay in updating. Hope you guys enjoy! ^^**

Gretchen carefully peeled away the bandage. There was considerably less blood on it, and the inside of the wound had begun to scab over.

_'That's good. This means that her blood count is returning to normal.'_ She tossed the bandage into the wastebasket and motioned for the syringe. She held it at eye level to ensure the right amount of sedative had been added. Isabella shivered as Gretchen placed her hand on her side above the wound. She lowered the syringe to the inner muscle.

"Okay, Isabella. Bear with me for a moment."

Isabella took in a deep breath, and Gretchen began injecting the sedative just above the scab. Isabella hissed and cringed in pain, squeezing Phineas' hand for comfort. He squeezed back slightly. Gretchen finished with the sedative and handed the syringe back to Milly.

"Can you grab the sterilizer from the dresser and clean her up, please?" Milly nodded and placed the syringe on the tray. She returned with a small rag and a bottle of the sterilizer. She dampened the rag and began to clean around the wound. Isabella felt the cool rag circle around the wound. As Milly started on the muscles, she cringed slightly from the sting. As she continued, Isabella noticed that the stinging became less and less prominent until she felt only a barely noticeable tingling sensation.

Milly finished up and returned to the dresser. She watched as Gretchen readied the serum. Gretchen filled the medicine dropper with the serum and inspected it hesitantly. She suddenly felt discouraged, as if the substance would rebel against what she needed it to do. Milly gave her a pat on the shoulder and smiled encouragingly. Gretchen sighed silently and returned to the bed. She placed a finger on the edge of the wound and pressed slightly.

"Can you feel this?"

"Only slightly." Gretchen nodded and moved her finger to the muscle.

"How about this?" Isabella shook her head.

"Nope, not at all."

"Good. I'm about to apply the serum. It may take a little while before you actually feel it as it has to get through the scab first, so be ready." Isabella nodded and closed her eyes.

Gretchen held the dropper cautiously over the wound. She let three large drops fall in a line across the scab. The light blue drops pooled over the scab, then slowly dissolved into it. Isabella closed her eyes tighter as a small stinging sensation arose. It felt like bugs biting at her skin. After a moment, the sensation left. She relaxed her body and sighed.

_'If that's what it takes to get through a scab, then this isn't going to be fun.'_ Phineas rubbed her head gently.

"How you feeling?" Isabella smiled and looked up at him.

"I'm doing oka…HN!" Suddenly, a sharp pain racked her body. Her eyes snapped shut. She clenched her teeth and squeezed his hand hard. She balled her free hand into a fist and brought it to her mouth, biting on her pointer finger. Phineas began to panic.

"Isabella?" He watched her face contort into a pained expression and felt her hand tighten desperately around his. He looked frantically to Gretchen for answers. She stroked Isabella's back, eying her pitifully.

"The serum is kicking in." Her words lingered in his head before clicking. He quickly shook his desperation away.

_'I can't let panic set in. She's trying to remain strong, and I promised to help her through this. I won't let her down.'_

He squeezed her hand supportively. Isabella moved her hand from her mouth to the sheets, gripping them until her knuckles turned white. With every passing minute, the pain seemed to intensify. She could feel the serum pulling and knitting together her muscles, both new and old, into a sadistic harmony. She bit her lip, feeling tears come to her eyes. She looked up at Phineas. His eyes were filled with encouragement, ready to guide her through the worst. She smiled to herself.

_'Okay, I can do this. I've got to believe that.'_

Her body twitched as the pain reached a new height. She turned her head into the pillow, whimpering loudly from the unwelcomed sensation. She felt the girls stroke her back comfortingly while Phineas planted a kiss on her hand.

"Come on, Izzy. Hold on for a little while longer. This dose of serum will wear off soon and we will get you more sedatives for the next dose" Gretchen's words did little to comfort her. The pillow soaked up the tears that fell from her eyes. It took nearly an hour for the pain to begin to subside. Once it was manageable, Isabella turned her head towards Phineas. He saw her red eyes and the wet trail the tears had left. Her eyes held a small fire in them, a hope trying to fight through the pain. He felt her hand relax slightly in his grip. He pulled it to his chest and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"You're being very strong. I know you're going to get through this just fine." A faint smile made its way across her face. Milly retrieved the next dose of sedative and serum.

"Okay, it's time for the next dose. Since a little of the previous dose is still in your system, the injection won't be as painful." Gretchen grabbed and inspected the syringe. She patted Isabella's arm.

"Ready?"

With a hesitant nod from her, she injected the sedatives. Isabella took in a sharp breath. Though the pain was lessened, it was still a lot. After a few minutes, Gretchen readied the medicine dropper and released three more drops of serum on the newly formed muscles in the wound. Within moments, the pain intensified. Isabella's hand tightened harshly around Phineas'. Tears returned as she felt a greater pain than before take over her body. Despite her attempts to suppress it, a cry of pain escaped her mouth. Phineas rubbed her head soothingly.

"It's okay, Izzy."

"Phineas…" She glanced up at him with tear-filled eyes, her voice barely audible from her sobs. She pulled his hand to her face and placed the back of it against her forehead.

"It…it hurts…so much. Please…please get me through this."

He felt his heart break at her pitiful request. He knew he couldn't stop the pain, but for her, he was willing to try anything. He pulled their hands away from her face and kissed away a tear that brimmed her eye. He looked into her eyes, determined put every ounce of strength he had into supporting her.

"Isabella, I promise that you're going make it through this. I may not be able to take away the pain, but I'm here to help any way I can. Tell me what you need and I'll do my best." Isabella stared at him for a moment, feeling the strength and love from his words.

Suddenly, the pain took back over. She cringed and pulled their hands to her chest, cradling his hand with both of hers. He blushed at the movement. He was confused, but saw her relax slightly. He smiled at her.

_'Whatever you need.'_

Isabella's blush could barely be seen through her tears. She hadn't meant to do that, but when the pain amped up, she needed him close to her. She felt his hand twitch in surprise, but then he relaxed. The warmth from his hand comforted her. The pain raged, but she felt as if everything would be okay. They remained that way until she felt the pain begin to subside once again. She released his hand and he brought it up to wipe her tears.

Milly grabbed the tablet and scanned Isabella. Her vitals were normal, save for a faster heartbeat due to pain. She showed the tablet to Gretchen, who sighed contently.

"Okay, when this dose wears off, I'm going to give you a break. The worst of the wound has been healed, so the sedatives will have a greater effect from now on." She rubbed Isabella's back.

"You did great." Isabella smiled for the first time in hours. She turned her head towards Gretchen.

"Thanks to you guys." She returned her attention to Phineas, placing a hand on his.

"Thank you." He blushed, offering her a smile.

"L-like I said, anything for you." A quiet 'aw' could be heard from the girls, deepening his blush. Gretchen clapped her hands together.

"Alright, we need to wrap the wound. Are you still in pain?" Isabella pulled the sheet up and pushed herself up gently, cringing lightly.

"Not really. I'm okay to get the wound wrapped." Milly turned to ready the sterilizers and bandages while Gretchen pushed Phineas behind the curtain.

"Sorry, lover boy. No peeking." Giggling, she left him with a tomato red face.

After cleaning and wrapping Isabella, Gretchen pulled back the curtain for Phineas. She and Milly collected the supplies they used and headed to the lab. He walked over to the bed, where Isabella was lying down. She smiled exhaustedly at him. He knelt down to her level.

"How are you feeling?" She chuckled lightly.

"Better than I was." He smiled at her revived enthusiasm. He saw how worn out she was and how she struggled to keep her eyes open. He laughed and gave her a kiss.

"I think someone needs sleep." She yawned and stretched her arms above her head.

"Sounds great." Phineas pulled the sheet over her and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight." She snuggled into the pillow and sheets, closing her eyes and sighing happily.

"Goodnight." Phineas closed the door behind him gently. He stretched his body to release the aches from kneeling for hours.

_'I'm glad she made it through okay, she deserves some rest.'_ He stifled a yawn, his eyes suddenly feeling heavy.

_'Guess she isn't the only one,'_ he thought as he made his way upstairs.


	12. Resting

**A/N: Thank you guys for your continued support! As always, I hope this makes up for the delay! ^^**

Milly set the tray on the lab's counter. She carefully discarded the syringes while Gretchen cleaned off the bottles. Milly released a heavy yawn and stretched her arms as high as possible. She rolled her head around and rubbed the back of her neck, her body aching from the stress of the day. Gretchen noticed her exhaustion and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Go get some rest. You've been up all night and half of today. I can take it from here." Milly's eyes lit up in gratitude and she smiled.

"Thank you. Call me down if you need help." When the door clicked shut, Gretchen removed her classes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

_'I only slept half the night and I'm pretty tired. There's no telling how exhausted she must be.'_

She replaced her glasses and finished cleaning up their supplies. She made her way downstairs to the infirmary. She gave the door a light knock and peered inside. She saw Isabella sleeping soundly, as if nothing ever happened. Gretchen sighed silently.

_'Hopefully a sense of normality will return soon.'_

She gently closed the door and continued on into the den. The girls were sitting around the sofa, chatting silently amongst themselves. The guys stood near the fireplace, watching the girls in boredom. The room fell silent as she made her way to the center of the room. Holly was the first to speak.

"Well, how is she?" Everyone leaned forward in anticipation. Gretchen gave the group a small smile.

"She's doing just fine. The worst part of the procedure is done, so there should be no problems. She's sleeping now, something she truly deserves after going through that." Simultaneous breaths of relief filled the room. Gretchen plopped down on the couch, leaning back and closing her eyes. She felt the couch dip beside her. She cracked open an eye to see Ferb's concerned gaze. She sat up and patted his knee.

"Don't worry, I'm just a little tired." Ferb nodded and smiled gently at her. He wrapped an arm around her and sat back, pulling her with him. She blushed as his arm made her rest against his chest. She felt slightly uncomfortable, but relaxed when he kissed her forehead.

"You can rest here if you'd like while Isabella is asleep." She looked at him in surprise, but he offered her a comforting smile. She pulled her legs under her, snuggling into him. She faintly heard the girls giggling before she fell asleep in Ferb's arms.

_"Phineas?"_

_Isabella made her way through the bright forest, searching for a certain red-head. Her eyes scanned through the trees, stopping as a flash of red hurried off to the left. She ran between the trees as fast as she could, trying to catch the figure. She came to a small clearing covered in snow. He was standing in the center, blue eyes staring at her dreamily. She smiled and made her way over to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his forehead against hers._

_"You kept me waiting. I thought you'd never come." She giggled at his words and brushed her nose against his seductively._

_"I could say the same thing." He smiled at her and they leaned in. As they kissed, Isabella felt his hand slide slowly from her back to her stomach. Isabella blushed as he moved his lips to her ear. He chuckled lowly._

_"Thought you could get away, didn't you?"_

_Isabella's eyes shot open as the hand pierced her stomach. She grunted in pain and pushed him away. She clutched her stomach, watching blood slowly cover her shirt._

'Wh-what's going on?'_ Her head snapped up as he began laughing manically._

_He covered his face with his clean hand, his laughter sounding more delirious every second. As the shade of the forest expanded over the clearing, she saw his hair darken, losing its supposed color. Moments later, his laughter dwindled down to a sinister chuckle. He lowered his hand, dark eyes glaring wickedly at her. He raised his bloody hand to his mouth, running his finger across his tongue. Isabella felt something crawling up her throat and coughed. She gasped as small drops of blood dotted her hand, the taste of iron left in her mouth. Her eyes traveled back to the man before her as he stepped toward her. He smirked as she stepped back defensively._

_"Are you afraid? Why don't you run away? Go ahead. Try and cling to your life. I've gotten you once before, what makes you think I won't again?" His words caused terror to grip her heart. She argued with her body for cooperation._

'I….I have to get away. Come on, run!'

_She finally turned on her heels and ran. Pain racked her body every time her foot hit the ground. Each breath served to intensify it. She glanced back to see him still in the middle of the clearing, slowly fading from view. After a while, she slowed herself to a stop and hid behind a tree. She leaned her back against the tree, clutching her stomach harder. _

'Back there, that wasn't Phineas. What in the world is going on?'_ She glanced around the tree in the direction of the clearing. She sighed in relief when she saw nothing but an empty forest._

_"Looks like I lost him." She heard a low chuckle behind her. Her eyes widened as she turned to face the man._

_"Guess again." She backed as far back into the tree as she could. Her mouth trembled as she spoke._

_"Who-who are you? What do you want with me?" The man chuckled, bowing in sarcastic politeness._

_"I am Rodrigo," He peered up through his dark bangs._

_"And you, milady, are my prey."_

_He brought his hand up and sent it towards her throat. She slapped his hand away, only for hers to be caught by the other. He pulled her free hand above her head, the while her other one clutched her stomach desperately. He held her there against the tree. He swiped his free hand across her side, creating a familiar gash. Isabella cried out in pain. Tears started to fall as she lost her sense of dignity._

_"Please…please stop. This…this is too much…please…I'm begging you."_

_He took his hand and wiped away the tears, leaving a small cut on her cheek. She winced and looked him in the eyes, hoping to find any hint of mercy in them. She was only met with hatred. His mouth twisted into a wicked grin._

_"I'm going to enjoy this." Her eyes shook in horror as he pulled his arm back. She squeezed her eyes shut as his hand flew towards her chest._

_"NOOOOO!"_

Isabella gasped as she was flung from her dream. She shot up, the movement slightly painful. She wiped beads of sweat from her forehead, noticing her hand was a little pale. She felt herself shaking.

_'Calm down, it was only a dream.'_ She took deep breaths to level both her heart rate and breathing. She rubbed her stomach, sighing in relief when her hand remained clear of blood. She eyed her wound. The bandage only had a faint pink line on it.

_'Rodrigo. That man…something needs to be done. If this happens again…_' The wound pulsed painfully at the mention of its creator. Isabella propped her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. She sighed in frustration.

"What should I do?"

"Everything okay?" Isabella looked up at Gretchen and Phineas. Both looked refreshed and ready for work. Gretchen placed a tray of new sedatives and the same serum on the dresser. Phineas came to Isabella's side and rubbed her back.

"Izzy, are you okay?" She nodded, deciding to keep the dream to herself for the moment.

"Yeah, just thinking about how to handle Rodrigo. He broke the law, so he has to be punished legally. I just don't know how badly though, considering he injured a ranger AND tried to take his device back." Gretchen patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry about that yet. We have to get you healed first. When you are able to, you can contact Mrs. Feyersied." Isabella nodded in agreement. Gretchen began preparing the new syringes and medicine dropper. She turned back to Isabella.

"Ready?" Isabella nodded and positioned herself on her side, facing Phineas. As Gretchen removed the bandages, Isabella noticed Milly's absence.

"Where's Milly?" Gretchen chuckled as she placed a cloth over Isabella's chest.

"She's resting. She watched you all night and helped today as well. She deserves some rest. This time around, the serum won't cause much pain. The muscles are healed enough to where the sedatives will remain strong, so I'll be able to handle the application myself." Gretchen grabbed a syringe and set it against the muscle.

"Okay, get ready." Isabella held her breath as the sedatives were injected. Phineas squeezed her hand and she smiled.

"I'm okay."

After a while, Gretchen placed three of the light blue drops on the wound. The pain was greatly lessened. While she felt slight tugging, Isabella didn't feel any great discomfort. Every now and then, she would wince at a small stinging from a raw muscle. When that happened, she would squeeze his hand for support and he would stroke her head in response. After about an hour, Isabella noticed that the tugging had slowed tremendously. Gretchen readied the next syringe and injected a smaller dose of sedative. With another three drops, the faint tugging continued. Once the second dose began finishing up, Gretchen patted Isabella's back.

"Okay, I'll stop here. The wound is healed to the point where you can move freely around the cabin. Just be careful." Isabella pulled the sheet up as she sat up. She noticed the movement caused her no pain. She eyed the wound curiously. While still a little deep, over half of the wound was covered in new muscle. She looked up to Gretchen and smiled.

"That's amazing, Gretch. Thank you." Gretchen blushed and flashed an embarrassed grin.

"T-thanks chief." Gretchen readied the bandages and Phineas stepped behind the curtain. Once Gretchen finished wrapping her, he pushed the curtain back and returned to Isabella. She kicked off the sheets and flung her legs off the side of the bed. He rushed to grab her as she attempted to stand. She stumbled and fell into his arms. She pushed herself back and stood, her face a little pink.

"Thank you." Phineas smiled, keeping an arm around her for support.

"Like I said, I'm here to help you." Gretchen rolled her eyes at them.

"You guys are too cute. So, where are you off to first?" Isabella giggled and scratched the side of her face awkwardly.

"Well, I think it's time for a wardrobe change." She pulled at her pants for emphasis. They had dried blood decorating the side under the wound, along with a few specks of leaves pressed in from her landing. The three of them laughed at the pitiful condition of her pants.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good place to start." Gretchen turned to Phineas. "Would you mind helping her to her room? I need to clean up here."

Both Phineas and Isabella blushed at her suggestion. He looked down at her, rubbing his neck nervously.

"Are…would you…be okay with that?" Isabella stared at him a while before nodding, her face turning a darker shade of red. He looked to Gretchen and nodded. He and Isabella made their way to the door, him keeping an arm extended to her and her reaching out to it for support. When Phineas closed the door behind them, Gretchen let out a light laugh as she began cleaning.

_'Hopefully they'll keep the love to a minimum up there.'_


	13. In Her Room

**A/N: YAY FOR FREE TIME! I'm so happy I got to upload another chapter this quickly! It's a little longer, but I hope you find it worth it! ^^**

Isabella let out a happy sigh as they finally reached her room. The trek up the stairs had been the fun part. She had tried to use the handrail to steady herself as she walked, but her strength failed her. Luckily, Phineas kept a hand on her back and steadied her. Needless to say, it took a while to reach the top.

When they got to her door, Phineas reached in front of her and pushed the door open. The purple walls greeted her like an old friend. She looked nostalgically around the room, happy to see colors other than white. She ran her hand over her dresser.

"It's feels wonderful to see my own room again." She sat on her bed, laying back to feel her own comfortable sheets again. She closed her eyes for a moment.

_'I wish things would go back to the way they were.'_ She sat up and looked to Phineas. He was looking around her room, mesmerized by the many awards and recognitions she had received growing up as a Fireside Girl. He turned his attention to her and smiled. She returned a small one.

_'Then again, maybe not.'_ She got up and pulled a pair of gray sweatpants out of her dresser. She heard him make his way over to the door.

"I'll be in the hall. Come get me if you…uh…need help." She giggled as his face turned pink from his statement.

"Will do."

She threw the sweatpants on the bed as he closed the door. She grabbed the top of her pants and leaned forward, ready to rid herself of the filthy garments. As she did, though, the room began to spin. She felt herself swaying and sat back on the bed. She held her head as the room settled down.

_'Great, I can't bend down to take off my own pants.'_ She looked down at her feet, contemplating on what to try.

_'Maybe I can stand on the pants' leg and pull them off that way.'_ She stood and readied to execute her plan. She lifted one foot off the ground slightly and felt herself swaying worse than before. She sat back on the bed, frustrated.

_'Darn it. If only I had something strong enough to lean on I could…'_ Her eyes flew up to the door.

_'Phineas.'_ Her face turned red and she covered it with her hands.

_'Oh my gosh! I can't believe I'm thinking about asking him to help me undress. That would be…well…'_ She peeked up at the door. Her mind began fighting itself. One half enjoyed the idea, perhaps a little too much, while the other half was too embarrassed to let her do it. She shook her head free of the turmoil.

_'No, Phineas isn't one to take advantage of something like this.'_ With a nervous breath, she made her over to the door. She hesitantly turned the knob and cracked open the door.

"Phin-Phineas." She heard him approach the door. Her face turned red as she spoke.

"I…I need your help." She stepped back as he slid past the door and closed it. He eyed her in worry.

"What's wrong?" She looked down at the floor, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. Her blush darkened and she answered him softly, almost in a whisper.

"I can't…um…get my…pants off." His face rapidly matched hers. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I-I see. Um…w-what's the problem?" She looked up meekly at him.

"I get dizzy when I lean forward and my balance isn't the best." Phineas nodded and scratched his chin in thought.

_'Okay, she obviously can't undress herself, so I have to help her. Man, this is…it's so…'_ His face turned a darker red as certain adjectives ran through his mind.

_'Focus, Flynn. She is probably embarrassed about this, so you need to find a way to help her without making it awkward.'_ Suddenly, his face lit up.

"Okay, here's an idea. I'll turn my back and you can hold onto my shoulders. That should give you the balance you need." Isabella felt herself relax at his idea.

"Sounds like a plan to me." She mentally sighed in relief.

_'Thank goodness. Any other suggestion would have probably tested our restraint…well, at least mine.'_

They walked over to the bed and he turned his back to it. She stood between the two, granting her a safety net in case she lost her balance again. She undid the button on her pants and grabbed his shoulders. She placed a foot on the leg of her pants and lifted the other. She got her foot about an inch off the ground before her hand slipped off his shoulder. She tried to balance herself, but couldn't. Phineas reached his arm behind him and steadied her. She chuckled nervously.

"Sorry. Guess I should get a better grip." He laughed.

"Let's try this a different way, then." He placed his hands over hers on his shoulders for support. He motion at her foot.

"Slide your foot up so I can see it." She slid her foot along the floor between his legs. When it came into view, he placed his foot on the edge of the pants' leg.

"Okay, now pull it back." She slowly pulled her foot back. His foot kept the pants in place and she felt the pants' waist slide down her leg. Her face turned bright red as they hit the floor.

"Okay, t-they're off." He released her hands and took a couple of steps forward, not looking back.

"I'll stay in here in case you need more help. Don't worry, I won't peek." Isabella sat on the bed and pulled her legs through her sweatpants. She stood, adjusting them to her comfort, and threw away her old pants.

"I'm decent now."

She walked past him and grabbed an old t-shirt from her closet. As she straightened it over her stomach, Phineas noticed her slip into deep thought. Her attention shifted to the small terminal in the corner. He walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay? You've been out of it since you woke up." She snapped out of her trance and smiled up at him.

"Don't worry, I'm just thinking about what's next." Her eyes told him she was lying, but he knew she would talk when it was time. Suddenly, a low rumble resonated from her stomach. She patted her stomach and laughed.

"I think it's time to eat." He laughed as well and offered her an arm.

"Then shall we?" Linking arms, they made their way down to the kitchen.

When they arrived, the girls rushed Isabella with hugs. They led her to the table and sat around chatting while the guys readied the food. Dinner was fully of delicious food and much needed laughter. Buford kept them going with his corny stories and ridiculous puns. Before they knew it, the clock struck ten. Isabella let out a loud yawn. Adyson laughed.

"Guess the chief needs to catch up on beauty sleep." Isabella stuck out her tongue playfully.

"Whatever." She got up from the table, grabbing her plate to clean up. Adyson stopped her.

"Don't worry, we got this." Katie stood and grabbed the plate away.

"Yeah, go get some sleep." Isabella smiled gratefully and made her way out of the kitchen. Phineas watched her the whole time. Adyson saw him and snatched up his plate.

"She isn't going to get up the stairs by herself." He smiled and ran to help her. Buford lifted his plate to Adyson. She turned around and walked away, looking back at him.

"Sorry, you're not an injured woman or a guy who's desperately in love." Buford scoffed at her, and she returned a playful wink.

Once they got back to her room, Phineas began getting her bed ready. Isabella turned to the terminal.

"Phineas, I'm going to make a call."

"Okay, I'll ignore you until you are through." She smiled and rolled her eyes. She sat in front of the terminal and booted it up. The Fireside symbol spun slowly on the screen. Finally, the home screen popped up. She clicked on the small webcam icon and dialed Mrs. Feyersied. After a few moments of no response, Isabella began to hang up. Suddenly, an elderly woman with orange curlers in her hair and a brown robe popped on screen, startling her.

"Why, hello there, Isabella. How are my favorite troop leader and her girls doing? Are you recovering well?" Isabella nodded.

"Yes ma'am. The girls are doing well and I'm getting better thanks to Gretchen and Milly. I was able to walk today and…wait, how did you know about the accident?" Mrs. Feyersied chuckled.

"Don't sound so surprised. Ginger sent in the report."

"Oh, well, sorry to call you so late, ma'am." Mrs. Feyersied shook her head.

"Not a problem. What's the matter, hon?"

"Well, there's the matter of punishment for the man responsible. I don't know what to do." Mrs. Feyersied nodded, placing her hand on her chin.

"Yes, that would be troublesome, but from what I heard he already got a beating." Isabella felt her shoulders slouch.

_'Great, she already knows about the fight.'_

"Yes, ma'am, but I'm concerned about legal punishment. We should take measures to stop this from happening again." Mrs. Feyersied nodded again.

"I agree. Since the device is still in our possession, we have evidence to place a huge fine on him and ban his license. That is about the extent of our jurisdiction." Isabella lowered her head in disappointment.

"I understand." She felt the elder woman's eyes analyzing her.

"Are you sure you are healing properly?" She looked up at her in confusion.

"What?" Mrs. Feyersied leaned towards the screen.

"Something is troubling you, child. Want to talk?" Isabella shook her head. Mrs. Feyersied sat back and straightened her robe.

"Alrighty then. Just remember dear, for wounds to be healed, they need to be seen." Isabella smiled gently. She noticed Mrs. Feyersied looking past her. She turned and saw Phineas sitting on the bed with his back toward them. Mrs. Feyersied raised an eyebrow questioningly. Isabella held her hands up in defense.

"Don't worry, ma'am. That's Phineas. He's helped me through this a lot."

"Ah, so that's the Flynn boy who stole your heart at such a young age. From what I can tell, he's quite a looker." Isabella blushed at her statement. Mrs. Feyersied gave her a goofy smile.

"Well, this tired older woman is out. You have a good night, dear, but not too good. I'm too old to have any more Lil' Sparks running around." Isabella's entire body turned red and she nearly fell back.

"M-MRS. FEYERSIED!" The elder woman laughed heartily as the connection was closed. Isabella powered down the terminal and walked over to her bed, her face still slightly pink. Phineas came to her side and placed an arm around her.

"Are you okay? Your scream scared me to death." Isabella patted his hand.

"Sorry. Mrs Feyersied just shocked me, that's all." She looked up into his concerned eyes.

_'For wounds to be healed, they need to be seen.'_ Isabella looked back at the floor.

_'I…I don't need to tell him. It's just some stupid dream. I shouldn't even be thinking about it.'_ She sat on the bed and pulled the sheets over her. He turned off the lights, save for her beside lamp, and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight." With that, he headed towards the door.

_'Isabella, you are fine. There is no reason to fear.'_ She saw him get closer to the door.

_'It was a stupid dream.'_ She saw him reach for the door. She felt herself begin to tear up.

_'Don't even think about it.'_ But her body didn't listen. She shot up from the bed and ran to him, falling into his back and wrapping her arms around him. Both of their eyes widen in shock of her action. He looked over his shoulder.

"Izzy, what's wrong?" She stood there silently for a moment. Defeated, she let the tears fall. She buried her face into his back.

"Please…please don't leave." She heard the door shut and felt him turn in her arms. He hugged her as she cried into his chest.

"What's wrong?"

"I saw _him_." The fear in her voice immediately told him who she was talking about. He squeezed her tighter.

"Tell me what happened."

Through muffled sobs, she shared her nightmare with him. She told him of the happy beginning turned tragedy. She told him of her fear and desperation. Her nightmare angered him.

_'She shouldn't have to deal with this. If Rodrigo wasn't such an idiot…next time I see him, he'll pay double for this.'_ He felt her push back and he looked down at her. Her face was lined with tears and her eyes pleaded with his.

"I-I don't want to go back there. Please…please stay."

He smiled gently at her as he wiped away her tears. He picked her up bridal style and walked back to the bed. He lay her down gently and climbed in next to her. She snuggled into his chest as he pulled the sheets over them. He wrapped his arms protectively around her and kissed her forehead.

"Of course, whatever you need." She smiled and closed her eyes, his heartbeat her lullaby.

"Thank you." Phineas rested his chin on her head and soon found himself dozing off.

_'Don't worry, Izzy. This time, I'm here to protect you.'_


	14. Wounds

**A/N: Here's another early chapter ^^. I want to thank Sabrina06 for helping with ideas for this chapter. If you have any suggestions for this story or a new one, feel free to PM me or leave a comment. I'll try and work with them. Happy reading. ^^**

'Not this again. Please, wake up! PLEASE!'_ Isabella pleaded with herself as Rodrigo pinned her against the tree._

_She squeezed her injured stomach in hopes that the pain would awaken her. This only brought more tears. She cried out in pain as, once again, Rodrigo inflicted her with an all-too-familiar wound on her side. She eyed him through her tears, terrified at his enjoyment of her pain. She looked down at her wounds and felt herself losing hope._

'You said you'd be here when I needed you…please…'_ She looked up as Rodrigo drew back his arm._

'…HELP ME!'_ She closed her eyes and braced herself for possibly the final blow._

_"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER!"_

_Her eyes shot open as that familiar voice rang through the forest. Rodrigo turned his head towards it. In a flash of red, Rodrigo and another figure flew across the floor. Now free, Isabella slumped to the forest floor, her body too weak to move. She watched as Rodrigo struggled to overpower the figure. The figure pounded into his face, revenge a clear objective. With a knee to the side, Rodrigo managed to roll the figure over and get on top. She saw him land a few hits on the figure before his hands were caught. The two struggled for some time before Rodrigo managed to free a hand. Isabella's eyes widened as he drew it back, his face holding the same intent as it did with her. She closed her eyes and turned away as his hand flew towards the figure under him. She heard the sickening crack of bones and a yelp of pain. Then….silence. She kept her eyes shut, afraid to face the nightmare before her. She heard rustling from their direction and a dull thump on the ground. She cringed as footsteps made their way towards her. She felt a presence near her and tightened her grip on her stomach, tears falling for fear of who was before her. She whimpered as he placed his hand on her cheek._

_This time, however, something was different. His touch was gentle, loving, the exact opposite of before. He wiped away her tears and spoke gently._

_"Hey, it's okay now. There's nothing to be afraid of. Please stop crying." She opened her eyes in disbelief. He was kneeling beside her, his eyes on hers comfortingly, hand still on her cheek._

_"Ph…Phin…" Her voice shook as she tried to say his name. She placed her hand on his, leaning into his touch. Tears of joy brimmed her eyes. _

_"You…you came…you really came." Phineas smiled lovingly and kissed her forehead._

_"Of course. You needed me here, so I couldn't refuse." He looked down to her wounds and grimaced._

_"Let's get you out of here." He scooped her up bridal style in his arms. Isabella whimpered at the movement, but found his arms comfortable._

_As they headed out of the forest, she glanced over his shoulders to Rodrigo. Blood pooled around his body. Although she only saw his back, she knew that Phineas had dealt a fatal blow. She turned her attention to her rescuer. As they walked, light filtering between the trees revealed that he had light bruises and small drops of blood on his cheeks._

'Probably Rodrigo's'_ Her eyes traveled down to his neck. Blood trickled from a small cut where his neck and shoulder met. He peered down and saw her glaring at it._

_"Don't worry, he missed." She sighed depressingly and lay her head on his shoulder._

_"But you still got injured…protecting me." She felt his shoulder vibrate from his chuckle._

_"You don't understand it yet, do you?" The light became brighter, causing her to squint. When her eyes adjusted, she saw that they had returned to the clearing. The snow crunched under his feet as he took them to the middle. He stopped and lowered her to her feet. She swayed a little, but he kept an arm around her. He smiled at her._

_"Everything I do for you, I do it out of love. Love drives me to protect you at all costs, and that same love…" He took her hand and placed it on the edge of his cut._

_"…is what allows us to heal each other's wounds…" She watched in awe as the cut began sealing itself. In a matter of moments, there wasn't even a trace of it. He took his other hand and removed hers from her wounds. She winced as he placed his hand on her side._

_"…no matter how deep…" Suddenly, the pain was gone. She watched as her side began closing up under his hand. Soon, the only evidence of something wrong was a tear in her shirt. He slid his hand around to her stomach. She drew in a sharp breath and pulled away, the contact being very painful. He pulled his hand back and offered her a small smile._

_"…no matter how much it hurt." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She felt a warm sensation arise in her stomach._

_"You have no idea how worried I am about you. My heart breaks when you cry and I become so angry. But even during this pain, you try to hide it for my sake. It lets me see that we do our best to comfort each other." He looked to her stomach and ran the back of his fingers over it. Isabella felt no pain this time, the wound long gone. Instead, she gasped at his cool skin. She looked up at him, noticing that his bruises had disappeared. He gazed lovingly at her, taking both of her hands in his and pulling them to his chest._

_"You aren't in this alone. Come to me if you feel too weak. I promise I'll be there." She smiled at him and stepped closer._

_"Of course you will." He leaned forward and rested his forehead on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt his circle her waist. With a deep passion, his lips found hers._

Isabella sighed happily, snuggling closer into Phineas' chest. He pulled her in closer, a smile forming in his sleep. Their faces donned light blushes as their joint dream reached an intimate conclusion.

Phineas slowly opened his eyes and glanced out the window. The sun was barely peeking over the trees.

_'Time for me to get moving. This is a brand new day.'_ He looked down at the still sleeping woman cuddling his chest. He smiled and removed her arms carefully from around him. She turned over in her sleep, making it easier for him to move quietly. He gently rose from the bed. He turned and pulled the covers over her. He gave her a light kiss on the forehead before quietly exiting the room.

He made his way to his room. He opened the door quietly, trying not to awaken his brother. He peered in and made eye contact with Ferb, who glanced up from reading on his bed. Sighing in defeat, he entered and closed the door. Not looking up from his novel, Ferb smirked.

"Someone had a late night." Phineas blushed at his brother's implication.

"I-it wasn't like that. You should have seen her, Ferb. She was absolutely terrified. I've never seen her so afraid to be alone. I stayed to comfort her." Ferb smiled and nodded understandingly at his brother. Phineas made his way to the bathroom. As he readied his things for a shower, a thought crossed his mind. He popped his head out of the bathroom.

"About her condition last night…" Ferb signaled that his lips were sealed.

"Thanks, bro." Phineas hopped into the shower, letting the hot water distract him from the events of the past few days.

Isabella's eyes fluttered open as a new day's sun peeked through the window. She sat up and stretched her hands above her head. When they fell back to the bed, she noticed that Phineas wasn't there. She smiled gently.

_'He always was an earlier riser. You'd think he was the one who pulled up the sun.'_ She hesitantly rose from the bed, feeling a little sturdier than yesterday. Curious, she lifted one foot off the ground. When her footing proved strong, she jumped onto the next foot, bringing the other up. She smiled and did it a few more times.

_'Guess my body is starting to return to normal._' She walked to the bathroom and inspected herself in the mirror.

_'Oh my goodness! I look like a freaking afro queen!'_ After straightening out her outrageous hair, she heard a light knock on the door. With her permission, Phineas entered, wearing fresh clothes and his wet hair sticking to his face.

"Glad to see you're up. How are you feeling?" Isabella gave him a thumbs up.

"Great, actually. My balance seems to be better and I slept fantastically." She walked up and hugged him.

"Thank you." He smiled down at her.

"Not a problem." When they pulled apart, she noticed Phineas blushing like crazy. He cleared his throat scratched his ear nervously.

"So…uh…did you…have any dreams last night…about Rodrigo?" She nodded, blushing a little from the memory.

"Y-yea…but it ended on…happier terms." She saw his cheeks darken. She eyed him curiously and titled her head.

"How about you? Did you have a dream, too?" He lowered his head embarrassingly and nodded.

"Well, want to talk about it?" He looked up at her and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"L-let's just say our little 'healing' moment in the clearing…won't be forgotten anytime soon." Her cheeks turned tomato red and her eyes widened. After a few moments of silence, Phineas cleared his throat.

"Well, glad my dream wasn't the only one that ended on…how did you put it…'happier terms'." He laughed as she playfully slapped his arm. The smell of a hot breakfast filled their noses.

"Come on, let's eat." Phineas opened the door and Isabella slipped past him. As they walked down the hall, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you for rescuing me." He smiled and returned the kiss.

"We do our best to comfort each other."


	15. Final Healing

**A/N: Hey, guys! I hope you have enjoyed the story! This week has been a tough one, but I seem to have written more. This one is kind of short, but I hope you still enjoy it! ^^**

When the happy couple reached the kitchen, all eyes fell on them. Isabella sat at the table while Phineas prepared their food. The others returned to their conversations as he joined her. As they ate, Adyson glanced over at them. She noticed how he would glance up at her, and how she would smile affectionately in return. She took a thoughtful sip of her coffee. Curiosity won as she set her mug down.

"So you two…" Phineas and Isabella looked up at her.

"What happened last night?" Everyone's eyes returned to them, as if the question was unanimously present. Ferb seemed to be the only one uninterested as he continued eating. The couple stared at Adyson in surprise, faces slightly pink. They turned and looked at each other. Isabella's eyes flashed mischievously and she smirked. Phineas raised an eyebrow questioningly, but returned his attention to his plate. She turned to Adyson and smiled.

"Don't worry, Adyson. Nothing REALLY happened." Phineas lifted his napkin to his mouth. He tried to stop the smile that was attempting to spread from the meaning of her emphasis. Adyson narrowed her eyes at her as Isabella casually sipped her orange juice.

"Riiiight." Phineas swallowed a bite of fluffy eggs before joining in.

"She's right, you know. We talked a little and fell asleep. After all, what happened in the forest wore us both out." Adyson saw Isabella bite her lip as her body shook slightly, an obvious attempt to hold in laughter.

_'Something tells me that they aren't referring to the accident.'_ She heard Buford sigh frustratingly at the other end of the table.

"Man, I was hoping for a good story." He pushed away from the table and cleaned up his stack of plates. Isabella and Phineas shrugged at each other and continued eating.

Soon, everyone had finished and gathered in the den. The girls swarmed Isabella on the couch, demanding the details of what happened last night. Isabella eventually gave in and explained what had physically happened. Never in a million years would she tell them about the shared secret between her and the man she loved. Phineas watched her from across the room. He blushed every time one of the girls looked over at him and giggled. Ferb joined his brother in leaning against the wall. He leaned over slightly and whispered to him, so as not to be heard by the ever curious girls.

"By the way you two acted at breakfast, I'd say something DID happen." He saw Phineas smile endearingly at Isabella as she captivated her audience with her love story.

"Only in our dreams." Ferb chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"That, I think, should stay between you two. Congratulations. Sounds to me like mutual dreaming. I believe you've just proven something Freud couldn't." Phineas smiled and playfully punched his brother's arm.

As the girls quieted down, Gretchen, Milly, and Isabella stood and made their way towards the hall. Isabella turned to Phineas and nodded to the hall. He pushed off of the wall and followed them. Once they got to the infirmary, Milly began preparing the syringes and serum. Isabella sat on the bed and removed her shirt, tossing it to the other bed. She held the small cloth over her chest as Gretchen began unwrapping it. Phineas turned his back to them, focusing instead on folding her shirt. When Gretchen removed the bandage, she looked over the wound. It was healing fairly well. The newer muscles weren't as raw as before and the bleeding had stopped almost completely. She patted Isabella's shoulder as she settled on her side.

"Only a few more doses left. If you're up for it, we can get them all in today. They shouldn't hurt nearly as bad, though it may take a little longer." Isabella smiled and nodded.

"Let's go for it. I'm tired of seeing this bed." Gretchen laughed and joined Milly in the preparations. Phineas kneeled next to Isabella, smiling and taking her hand. Milly walked over to the bed with a rag and sterilizer and gently cleaned to wound. Isabella hissed as the sterilizer left a burning sensation on the slightly raw muscles, squeezing his hand lightly. Once Milly finished, Gretchen placed the syringe on the muscle.

"Here we go."

Isabella barely felt the injection this time. After Gretchen applied the serum, she actually felt relaxed. The tugging was very faint, almost nonexistent. She was able to talk and joke with the girls and Phineas as the dose of serum did its job. Once that dose wore off, Gretchen would inject another small dose of sedatives and serum, and the process would repeat itself. The group hardly realized that nearly seven hours had passed since they began. When the final dose ran its course, Gretchen inspected their work. The wound was essentially healed. The newest layer of muscle was still raw, but it appeared as if Isabella had only scraped her side, not as if she had nearly been cut in half.

Isabella sat up as Gretchen and Milly proceeded to clean up, holding the cloth over her chest. She eyed her side in amazement. What had once been a gash that caused her to fear for her life was nothing more than a patch of light pink muscle. Phineas came around the bed and knelt down to see the wound. He eyed it, running his fingers across it in disbelief. He looked up to Isabella and they both smiled. Tears built up in her eyes as he wrapped her in a hug and whispered to her.

"You did it, Izzy." He pulled back and walked over to the other bed. He threw her shirt to her and pulled the curtain to. Isabella looked to Gretchen, who shook her head.

"There's no need for a bandage now. It's finished." Isabella smiled and pulled her shirt on quickly. She jumped from the bed and pulled both Gretchen and Milly into a hug.

"Thank you. I knew I could count on you guys." The two nurses broke down into tears. They wiped their eyes clear as Isabella pulled away. She turned around at the sound of the curtain being pulled back. She ran and jumped into Phineas' arms. He picked her up and spun them around, happiness filling his heart. When her feet returned to the floor, she buried her face into his chest and cried. He hugged her tightly and his tears joined hers as she mumbled the only words that came to her mind.

"It's over...it's finally over."

Once everyone's eyes dried, Milly walked over to the door.

"Well, chief. Are you ready to greet everyone?" Isabella smiled and shook her head.

"Not yet. There is something I want to do." She turned her attention to Phineas.

"Will you help me?" He looked at her questioningly. Seeing determination in her eyes, he smiled.

"Of course." Isabella grinned and grabbed his hand. She led the way down the hall and up the stairs, leaving Milly and Gretchen staring down the hall in confusion.

Phineas sat on her bed patiently. He watched her pull items from her closet and head to the bathroom. After a quick shower, Isabella came out with a huge grin on her face.

"Okay, I'm ready." He smiled at her and walked over, giving her a kiss. He held the door open as she walked passed and they made their way to the den. When they entered the room, everyone fell silent. They stared at her in awe. The girls' eyes filled with tears as they gathered around their leader. Isabella straightened out her uniform and smiled.

"Well girls, I'm back!"


	16. Happy Endings

**A/N: Sorry guys, but this is the final chapter. :( I've really enjoyed writing this for your entertainment! Please let me know what you thought, good or bad, so that I can gear up for my next story! Enjoy! ^^**

It has been three days since Isabella's recovery. The gang finally began to enjoy their stay at the cabin. In honor of her recovery, Phineas and Ferb arranged for a marathon of Isabella's favorite movies to play for their movie time that night, along with some of the best ice cream and popcorn ever made. Until then, Isabella looked over the files on the computer that had been sent to Rodrigo. His fine had been the highest that they had ever put on someone, and with good reason, too. Mrs. Feyersied sent in paperwork to the mayor immediately after she spoke to Isabella a few nights ago and had his license banned. The device was eagerly destroyed by the guys, who pulverized it beyond recognition. Isabella ran a hand over her face. As badly as she had hoped something more could have been done, she knew that she would have had to have been killed for him to go to jail. She closed down the monitor and exited the lab.

When she entered the den, she saw everyone lounging around watching television, except Phineas. She looked over to Ferb, who was cuddling Gretchen. He nodded towards the door and lay his head back on Gretchen's. Isabella smiled at the lovebirds as she walked out onto the porch. She saw Phineas sitting on the edge, staring out into the woods deep in thought. She grinned mischievously and pulled the door closed roughly. She laughed as snow from the roof fell on him. He shook off most it and smiled up at her, laughing as he spoke.

"Hey, nobody called a snow fight." She giggled as she sat beside him and brushed off the rest of the snow.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." She looked at him as he returned his attention to the woods. She followed his gaze. The snowed covered trees reflected shades of orange and pink as the sun began to set. She faintly saw a small rabbit hop along to hide in a fallen tree for the night. She sighed and lay her head on Phineas' shoulder.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He nodded half-heartedly.

"Yeah, it is." Isabella raised her head and looked at him in concern.

"What's wrong?" His eyes fell to the ground, glazing over with tears.

"I…I just can't believe all of this happened. You went through all of that, Rodrigo showed up, and yet, because of all of that …" He looked over to her and smiled.

"…I finally have you. I feel like this could have gone so differently, yet not have turned out this great." She smiled at him and placed a hand on his.

"Phineas, despite what I've been through, it was all worth it to hear you say that you loved me. You've made me that happiest girl in the world." He stared at her endearingly as she finished. They smiled and slowly leaned in.

They were interrupted by the sound of an approaching snowmobile. They turned and saw two figures on a snowmobile drive up. The taller of the two jumped from the snowmobile and bounded towards the couple. Phineas growled and jumped from the porch. Isabella stood from her spot. When the figure came close, Phineas grabbed him by the collar.

"Are you stupid or something? This wasn't very bright on your part." Isabella jumped from the porch and pulled him off of the man. When she got between them, Phineas continued to glare daggers into the figure. Isabella raised her hand to his cheek.

"Phineas, calm down." He looked down at her apologetically. He placed his hand on hers and lowered them.

"Sorry." He glanced up angrily at the figure as he cleared his throat.

"Are you the leader of the Fireside Rangers?" Isabella turned to the figure and nodded.

"I am." Phineas stood beside her and placed his arm around her waist protectively as the figure removed his hood. He felt her stiffen at the sight of their visitor.

"My name is Rodrigo. I received letters about a fine and my license being banned." She nodded. She felt herself becoming afraid of him, the dream flashing through her mind. Phineas' arm tightened around her and she felt herself relax. Her courage soon found its way to her mouth.

"That's right. Your crimes involved the setting of an illegal trap, using a trap out of season, and the injuring of ranger. To top it off, you came here attempt to take your trap back by force. You're lucky not to be in jail at the moment. If me or my girls find a trap of any kind with your name on it from today forward, you won't be so lucky." Rodrigo scoffed at her.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was just some personal vendetta that you think you have the power to reinforce." Phineas growled and stepped toward him. Isabella placed her hand against his chest.

"Wait, Phineas!"

_SMACK!_

Suddenly, Rodrigo's head snapped forward. He bent forward and held the back of his head in pain. Phineas and Isabella blinked at him in confusion. They peered around him and saw the second figure standing there, flip flop in hand. Rodrigo turned to the figure.

"Mom, I told you to wait on the snowmobile." The second figure pulled back its hood.

"You've caused them enough trouble. You had better straighten your attitude."

Isabella's mouth fell open and Phineas covered his mouth to prevent himself from laughing. There stood an elderly woman no taller than Isabella's shoulders. Her wrinkled eyes glared harshly at Rodrigo. He scoffed and turned back to Isabella. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. She took it cautiously. He looked off to the side and crossed his arms.

"There's your stupid money."

_SMACK!_

Once again, Rodrigo was left holding his head as the elderly woman landed gracefully from her hit. Phineas bent over laughing, wiping tears from his eyes. Isabella continued to stare in confusion. The woman crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Now apologize. This young lady was injured because of you!" Rodrigo looked up and growled at the woman. Rodrigo stood up straight and looked Isabella in the eye.

"Sorry."

_SMACK!_

"Like you mean it!" Rodrigo growled and bowed lowly.

"Please forgive my stupidity. It won't happen again." Isabella blinked in confusion. She smiled and placed a hand on Rodrigo's shoulder.

"It's fine. Actually, thanks to that, my life took a turn for the better, so thank you." Rodrigo's eyes widened and he blushed a little at her kindness. He shook his head and scoffed, still blushing.

"Whatever." He turned and walked back to his snowmobile. The elderly woman bowed politely and joined her son. In minutes, they disappeared down the mountain. Phineas wiped the last of the tears from his eyes as Isabella looked to him in confusion. He shrugged and looked back to the cabin. He turned back to her and extended his hand.

"They are probably waiting for us. We should head in." Isabella smiled and took his hand. When they reached the porch, he suddenly stopped turned to face her.

"Oh yea, before I forget." She raised her eyebrow curiously. He smiled softly and took her face in his hands.

"I love you, Isabella." She returned his smile and placed her hands on his.

"I love you, too."

Their lips met softly as the sun set behind the trees.


End file.
